Model Mishap
by Mahi-Mahi
Summary: [AU] It took the rosette haired beauty little more than a month to easily work her way to the top of the fashion world. On her own personal mission, she encounters one of the most enigmatic men of her life...KakaSaku
1. Prologue

**Review if ya like...go swallow a syringe if ya don't...**

**N-joy!**

_**Model Mishap**_

_**-Prologue**__**-**_

"_Everything will be just fine..._" He had told her. "_I'll be back in a month..._" Had been his words. Reckless and uncaring of life now that she thought back on it.

"_I don't like this, it isn't safe._" Was her reasoning, her pleading. "_I don't want you to go with him. This man is a stranger to you..._"

"_For the kind of money he's paying me,_" He slammed the top half of his suitcase shut and left his room. Walking for the door. "_I think that fact is totally irrelevant._" She had been stupid enough to fall for that line.

"_At least tell me where you're going._" She put a hand on his shoulder to stop him as he walked past-in a rush to get out the door. "_I'll be worried to no ends if you don't give me a clue._"

"_I..._" He had began. "_Can't tell you_."

"_Why?_" She questioned. "_Don't you trust me?_"

"_It's not that,_" His chest heaved as he let out a sigh. "_It's not that at all._"

"_Then what's keeping you in the shadows?_" She pried. Now she was glad she had done all that annoying digging. If she hadn't, then she would never have known.

"_It's not safe._" Was all he said.

"_Dangerous?_" Her eyes went wide. "_No!_" Thinking back on it, she wished she had objected more passionately. "_I don't want you going. Mom and dad would never want–_"

"_They're gone._" He stopped her from saying too much. "_I have to take care of you now._" It was then that he went to the door, and when she should have cuffed him to the heater to force him to stay. "_And this the only way I know how to do it._"

"_You can't take care of me if you're dead._" She didn't think she would actually eat her words someday...

"_Look around us._" His tall form suddenly turned to her, his arm flailing out to gesture his hand at the apartment around them. A apartment that was, at beast, a hole in the wall. A apartment that needed a paint job worse than she needed air to breath, needed the pipes of the plumbing fixed, the dent in the wall filled. The cabinets were mostly empty and void of food, the furniture questionable to sit on. She lowered her head. "_We need the money. We're suffocating ourselves here. The cockroaches won't even come near this place!_"

Her lower lip started to quake, understanding all too well. Understanding their situation-they'd die if they stayed here any longer. And she understood his situation. His responsibility. And hers as well-she could pull her own load from time to time.

"_Dad left us in debt up to our eyeballs when he died._" The tone of his voice was bitter and she felt a tear on her lashes. "_His gambling habit was his hobby and our downfall...damn him._"

She turned her back and put her face in the palm of her hands. "_Please don't say things like that._" She didn't cry, not really. Just shed a single tear. The only tear she had left.

She heard him release a aggravated breath and throw down his suitcase and walk over to her. She wished he would have stayed then...that he wouldn't have left her all alone. "_I didn't mean it._" His hands grabbed her shoulders and whipped her around into a warm embrace. "_You know how I feel about everything..._"

"_Yes,_" She nodded and swallowed. "_But, you don't have to do anything rash to make up for our loss._" He released her and rolled his eyes, turning on his heel and shaking his head.

"_You'll understand when you're older._" He picked up his case, slung his jacket over his forearm and headed for the door.

"_But–_" Now, she felt stupid for not finding any more words to stop him.

"_Keep the doors locked at all times, even if you're just going out to do laundry._" His hand was on the knob of the cracked and splintered door. "_You remember where the gun is...and how I taught you how to use it?_"

She swallowed and nodded. She hated guns.

"_Good..._" He hadn't seemed like he wanted to leave her. She hadn't wanted him to. He looked to the side, at the floor and opened his mouth to say something-but, nothing came out.

She stood like a doll on display, watching with big eyes, her hands in her lap. Her thin body appearing frail in the fluorescent light of the bulbs. Still wishing he would stay.

"_I'm leaving now,_" He twisted the knob and shoved the door open. "_The rest of our money is in the bank and you've got your job at the coffee shop. Don't waste what little money you've got, understand?_"

She simply nodded again, obedient.

"_You've got a good head on your shoulders, girl. Make sure you use it._" She smiled back, now she wished she had ran to him and hugged him til he turned blue. "_I'll be back in a month._"

"_Wait..._" She called as he stepped over the threshold. And this..._this_ would be the part that played out in the end. What would become her future, her obsession. "_At least...tell me his name. I'll be so worried if something happens to you and don't know who to get in contact with._"

He stared at her for a moment. Contemplation deep in his green eyes. Actually thinking about telling her the truth. He had taken a hard breath and looked her straight in the eye. "_Hatake._" And that name was final. It was all he was going to tell her and she knew it. "_And don't repeat even that little tid-bit._" He warned. She blinked and felt suddenly awkward. She didn't like secrets.

"_Goodbye._"

"_Goodbye, Akira." _She smiled gently and waved. _"I love you!_" She called out as he left the apartment then. Heard his footsteps echoing down the hall. Gone. Forever.

And here she stood, in the very same place. Four weeks later. Her door open and staring at the badge on the uniform of cop. His stiff hat held nervously in his hands, wringing it like a rag.

"Ms. Haruno, Sakura?" He stuttered.

"Yes?" She was a bit apprehensive. It wasn't everyday a cop came to her door.

"I have some...sad news for you," Oh, god...no...please, no... "You...may want to sit down–"

"No," She said hastily. "What is it? Tell me now." She clenched her teeth-wanting to take that statement back. If it was what she thought it was then she didn't want to hear it at all.

He slowly nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat. Beginning his speech that sounded strangled and over practiced. "I regret to inform you that yesterday evening...that the body of your brother, Haruno Akira, was found in the river. A fishing boat..." He paused and took a breath, stealing himself in the face of the girls silent blankness. "A fishing boat snagged his body in their nets sometime around five p.m. An autopsy will be performed to determine time and cause of death after we've acquired your authorization and signature. We will...urge you to go to the morgue first to identify the body to make sure there was no mistake."

She stared at him. Empty. Void. Numb.

Was she awake? Was this real? No, it couldn't be. God wouldn't take away the only happiness she had left. That would be...too cruel. It would be like punishment for a crime she had never committed.

"Ma'am?" He asked, taking a step forward. Taking in her paleness-fearing she may be on the verge of fainting. "Would you like me to call a counselor for you? Our department offers..."

"No." She mumbled. "That won't be necessary." She smiled then, knowing this was just a silly nightmare. A weird dream that was a product of her tangled nerves and worried mind for his safe return. He had said it would be dangerous. So, this was only her imagination at work-conjuring up the worst possibilities.

"...Would you like me to leave a number for you to contact?" He asked apprehensively. "You will have to see the body, ma'am. And I strongly urge you to identify it soon, before...well, before it starts to–"

"Yes," She nodded and went to the kitchen, pulled out a pencil and scrap paper. "Right here." She handed it to him. "Go on, jot it down." She smiled brightly. And he looked at her with a sickly puzzled expression. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She poked him impatiently with the eraser end of the pencil.

He took it and wrote down the information, casting side glances at her that she found odd and annoying. But, she needn't worry. She'd wake up soon and she'd laugh at her stupidity and then go into the kitchen and eat cheesecake.

The man gave her back the paper and writing utensil. "Are you sure you're–"

"I'll be fine," Her pink head nodded reassuringly.

"Yes, ma'am." He put his hat on his head slowly, still eyeballing her. "My remorse to you and your family. You're in my prayers." He turned then paused when he heard her mumble,

"What family..." The officer watched her with stomach churning pity at her current state of mental health. He was beginning to see her situation. The hauntingly unpleasant behavior she was displaying. He debated staying with her, watching her for a few hours to make sure the girl didn't do anything rash or stupid to herself. But that was not his job. He had already done his job, and he wasn't getting paid to do anything more. It wasn't in his jurisdiction to comfort grieving, lonely girls. Not at all...

He didn't bother to think about what it would have been like for him. If he had lost his wife and children. His brothers and sisters. Friends and family. To be stuck in a heap of a living space. All alone. People who had everything didn't bother to ponder over losing their treasures.

That made it worse for people who didn't have anything. For what little they did have in riches, was soon lost. Because there was simply nothing else for them to lose except the meager spots of happiness here and there.

He offered his condolences once more then left. His footfalls echoing down the hall, just as Akira's did four weeks ago.

She laughed as she turned to her room. Her eyes feeling heavy and hot, burning for some reason she didn't understand. Did dreams always get this sad? They did when her parents died. When their plane crashed on its way back from France. When she thought about the pain they must have suffered, the fear, the dread. And then her and her brothers loneliness afterwards. They had faced it together and made it through the mourning. Barely ready to face the world again. No money and no relatives. He was only twenty three...

She clutched the paper with the number the officer had given her in her palm and staggered into her bedroom, listening as it crumbled and crinkled in her hand. And, truth be told, she wasn't sure if she was breathing as she lay down on the worn, faded covers. The mattress screeching in protest. Her body feeling exhausted and strained. Her head throbbing with terrible thoughts running through her mind. Her heart didn't seem to be beating and she was cold. So very cold.

Her fingers clutched onto the blankets around her and rolled over, pulling them with her to surround her body. A sick feeling of madness floating in the room. What had happened to her life? Where had it gone and why was she here? Why was she alive and everyone else that meant anything to her supposedly dead?

Eighteen and all alone in the world...no family. No aunts or uncles. A grandfather that had died of cancer three years ago and a grandmother that was unsound and lodged in a expired nursing home. Her other grandparents in the same situation as the others. Six feet under in a graveyard-she took them all flowers every month and talked to their headstones. As she did with her parents.

She closed her eyes and decided with a finality that this was the stupidest dream she had ever had in her life...

When she awoke she didn't know what time it was. But, it was dark. And even colder than before-though, she couldn't tell if that coldness was coming from deep within her chest or the broken heater.

She drew the cover closer to her body-over her head-and began to tremble. A sudden nausea hitting her like a flood. Her mouth frowned as her head began to pound like there were a thousand little Indians drumming in her skull.

The paper lay in her hand, searing her skin like a brand.

And she simply stared at it in disbelief.

She had thought it had been a dream. It had to have been a dream. It was too terrible to be real. To have the only thing that mattered to her heart snatched away in a moments notice.

But, the numbers didn't lie.

Her face contorted suddenly. Her mouth in a ugly twist of pain, her nose scrunched with tautness. Then, she couldn't see. Everything was a haze of water behind her lashes. The darkness of the blankets covering her was like the emptiness in her heart. When she had thought there were no tears left in her eyes, she had been wrong then. For, it seemed, she still had a few million left.

It wasn't fair. It was never fair for her.

A loud wail escaped her throat. A wretched sound that scraped off whatever paint was left on the walls. Her body convulsing with the overwhelming sobs. The pain. The loneliness...the memories.

And nobody on this earth cared. Not about her...not about her brother and not about her life. She'd be lucky if God himself even knew she existed. Lying here, suffering like a wounded animal.

_No..._She squeezed the paper tighter.

Not anymore. No more would she sit in the shadows and let the world destroy her life one piece at a time. Because...the last piece that was left for the cruel world to take was _her_. She was the only thing she had left. Herself. Her strength. Her willpower.

He had told her she had a good head on her shoulders...and he told her to use it.

And use it she would.

And revenge would never be so sweet.

And that night, the next day and for the rest of the week she lie in bed. Grieving. Not caring to call her school or her boss at the coffee shop. Only leaving the apartment once to see his pale, blue corpse. The ugly and disturbing finality that locked her heart from the world.

She clung to one thing, one name.

The one thing she remembered to be the most important words he had told her the night he left. The last time she had seen him alive.

The name he had told her in complete confidence. The one that led her to take out every penny they had saved in the bank for the soul purpose of vengeance. To start her on her journey.

That name...

_Hatake. _


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

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'_Revenge is a confession of pain.'_

_-Latin Proverb_

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"O avez-vous trouv cette fille?" A loud voice expelled in her face. "Tres bien!" Very loud. She stood in the middle of the room, this man assaulting her with is exotic words and phrases. And she had no clue what he was saying about her. Not a single word. He spoke so fast and enthusiastically which made it hard for her to follow the thin lines of his mouth. All up in her face like she was a piece of furniture being sized up for an auction. Everyone was staring at her. _Her_. Out of all the girls that had called, she had been the chosen one. There had been so many to come, so many women. So beautiful and tall and exotic. Dressed like Roman Goddesses. Statues that had come to life to seek fame.

Sakura had felt like a tadpole compared to them. In her average clothes and average height. She had come here seeking fame as well. But for a decidedly different purpose. A more determined purpose.

"Uhm..." She curled her neck back as his hands squeezed her jaw, cheeks and poked her forehead numerously painful times. She was sure he wasn't going to find what he was looking for by harassing her face.

"Elle est tres jolie, ouais?" He leaned his head in close, his short legs straining to reach her height. The pad of his finger prodded her cheek bone, rubbing up and down as if to assure himself she were real. "Elle a une structure dos magnifique." His thick mustache bobbed as he spoke, his big brown eyes squinting and narrowing. Zooming in on the curved targets of her nose, chin and eyebrows. The dip of her temple. His tight, red, silk shirt didn't hide the secrets of his scrawny body and the black leather hip-hugger pants appeared to be made for a woman's comfort. Not a mans. That fact hadn't seemed to deter him from wearing them.

Monsieur Bon continued his examination of her body in the small room of people-all of them watching with resignation from a short distance. Letting him dissect her from head to toe with his eyes. Waiting for his 'word.' "Un peu mince." He mumbled as his eyes scanned her bony shoulders and arms. She wasn't tall, which had frightened her. All the models she had seen on television were tall. But, there were shoes to fix that problem. Sakura had assumed her frame and build had looked small enough-she had lost so much weight after her parents had died. Simply from lack of food and the loss of appetite that lingered after a short depression. Her brother's death hadn't served to heal the wounds of her heartbreak. Death and loss can do a number on a persons body. It had on hers. "Japprouve." His voice held a finality about it. Like there was no arguing with it. It was decided.

"Wonderful!" A woman clapped her hands twice and shouted from behind. "I knew she was a good catch. I have the eyes of a hawk." The blonde bustled forward. A path perpetually forming for her to move her way around with her big buxom bosom. Sakura flinched...those things looked like they could take out an eye. "Monsieur Bon's second opinion only solidified my point." The other men in the room gave each of themselves a glance, a seemingly mental transfer of information being sent to one another that she couldn't pick up on. And then nodded in unison.

"She will do." A dark haired man stated.

The blond harumphed. "Even if you thought she was fat, I would have taken her. Look at her, she's perfect!"

"We're only taking her because Monique is dead." Another man put in his opinion, a lacking of emotion in his voice while referring to the expired model. He looked young and handsome. Long pale hair and...he was actually wearing make up. Sakura's mouth dwindled into something of a frown. "We need a filler. That's all." His magenta lined eyes swivelled away from her.

"Nonsense." One of them argued, a more plain and normal looking man with thick-rimmed glasses and a kind smile. "Her clothes are dreadful, but that has nothing to do with it. Look at the bone structure on her. She will fit in on the runways like a dolphin in the ocean. Beautiful and sleek. And her eyes," He made instant eye contact with her, smiling brightly. "She has the eyes of a cat. Deadly, fatal and entrancing..." Sakura gave the man with the better opinion of her a wan smile. She had never thought of herself like that. Especially compared to the other applicants that had come here along with her. Seeking the limelight.

"Les cheveux!" The Frenchman exclaimed. "Les cheveux!" He repeated and snagged a lock of her hair. "Rparez-les." He tugged and she frowned as he set off in another string of foreign words. Accentuating each phrase with a jerk on her hair. Then the busty blonde began to reply with enthusiastic French as well. The object of their conversation currently being ignored like a door mat. The argument got loud. The strange woman becoming physical as she threw her hands up in the air in what appeared to be a restraining effort not to punch the man.

"Excuse me." She said as the woman took a hold of her hair as well, starting a tug of war between the two. "I said, _excuse me._" Her mouth twitched, her arms flexed straight down at her sides, her fists throbbing.

"Oui?" M. Bon's mouth traveled across his face in an awkward 'o' shape. From the left and then to the right. Stopping his flagrant spill of gnarled words. Starring at Sakura as if he just realized the girl could talk.

"Yes?" The blonde let go of her hair and smiled. "What is it dear?"

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?" She glanced between the two. "Or, at least, explain what the devil that man is saying about me?"

"Well, my friend Monsieur Bon was just suggesting to me what we should do with your hair."

"My hair?" Sakura glanced down at a thick strand hanging over her shoulders. Flowing like water that reached down to her hips. The part about her body she cherished the most. "What about it?"

"We're going to cut it." She said matter-of-factly. Sakura visibly paled. The Frenchman nodded in agreement.

"W-what was that?" She asked again, making sure she heard her correctly.

"Don't fret over it, dear." The woman patted her shoulder comfortingly. "We won't change the color, that's one thing we agreed on," She glanced at Bon who nodded again. "It's so unique, it would be a shame to waste such a lovely color. But, these dead ends," She took a thick chunk of the tips of Sakura's hair between her fingers and gestured. "Ugh, look at them, darling. They're dreadfully ugly. We have no other choice but to chop it off."

Sakura closed her eyes and counted to ten. Took a deep, calming breath and thought. This was part of it. This was what becoming a model was all about. Letting strangers control her image. Giving up everything she was just for one purpose. It was one of the many sacrifices she was making for her goal. It was for her brother. It was for justice.

"Okay," She smiled sweetly. "Just how short are we talking?"

The woman bit her lip and studied her for a moment. "M. Bon thinks we should crop it." Sakura's stomach lurched at the picture of herself with no hair. "But, I told him that was so last season. I think we should take it...up to...here." She stepped forward and put her hand in the middle of Sakura's back. Showing her example of the length. And Sakura found her heartbeat was back to normal. That wasn't so bad, not much would be taken off. She could handle it.

"There's not much else to do with you." One of the nameless men in the room told her as he started to put his jacket on-the one with the eyeliner and cold voice. "You've got a great complection and your skin has a nice tone to it. I can tell you've never seen a tanning bed in your life-which is good. Stay away from them if you plan to make a career out of this." She nodded. "If you'll excuse us," He said as he and the other men in the room prepared to leave as well. They had only arrived ten minutes ago. What could be so important to leave so quickly? "We have prior engagements," His voice suddenly sounded even more resentful with his next words. "With the new vice president of the company." Sakura's ears perked up. The vice president. The _reason_ she was here. "Tsunade here," He looked at the blonde and she winked at Sakura. "Will take care of all your paperwork. She's your new manager, your advisor and image consultant. She will handle any and all things concerning you and your person. And...I suggest you stay on her good side." Sakura smiled at her new overseer. Thinking she didn't look all that tough. Except that chest...but her mind kept wondering back to these men and who their next meeting was with. She was half tempted to throw away all her hard work and progress she had made thus far and just follow them.

"Ladies," He bowed his head as he turned to leave. "Monsieur Bon, good day. And good luck Ms. Haruno." Then he left the studio. His small group of followers close behind.

Sakura looked to the other two left in the room. Feeling vaguely nervous as she asked curiously, "Who...was that man?"

"Kimimaro Kaguya." Tsunade replied. "He may look young, handsome and harmless-but, I suggest you keep your distance. Many a model who has gotten involved with him has had a tendency to disappear." She shrugged and feigned a type of ignorance to what she was saying. "Not that I'm saying anything..." Sakura felt her mouth go dry at the undertones of her warning. "Remember Monique? Well, she was the hottest new thing on the model market. Straight from Paris and as green as grass. That girl had potential. Until Kaguya got a hold of her."

"You mean..." Sakura's eyes were wide.

"Like I said," Tsunade's shoulders lifted and then fell again. "I don't know a darn thing. I'm just giving you heads up on how _different_ this industry really is from what you originally thought of it."

"I see." Sakura stared at the door. "And the other men?"

"The only other one I know is Kabuto Yakushi-the one with the ugly glasses. He sticks to Kaguya's side like fly paper-and he's a good man, I suppose. I don't know much more about him. Those two are pretty secretive about their private lives, which they every right to be. It's a free world." She walked over to where she had previously placed her purse-on a small table in the corner. Her heels clicking on the hard wood floor. "The other men with them might as well be nameless. They're like their little personal assistance's that follow their every step and offer up advice here and there. Like living computers. It's ridiculous if you ask me."

"They said they were going to see the vice president of the company." Sakura tried to sound as casual and uncaring as possible. But, deep down she was as excited as hell. Getting first hand information from her own manager of the company. About the one man she hated most in the world and yet had never met. Hard work does pay off in the end. And every detail counts. "What kind of business do you think they're doing?"

"Honey, that's all confidential stuff. I don't know, and even if I did-I couldn't be the one to tell you."

"I understand. But, Kimimaro didn't sound as if he were looking forward to their meeting. Do you know why?" Now she just sounded like a down right brown-noser.

Tsunade laughed. "What they talk about may be up in the clouds for all the rest of us to understand. But their little 'duel' they have going between themselves is no secret. Kaguya hates our new vice president. And it's pretty obvious he isn't exactly Kaguya's number one fan, either."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Who knows." Tsunade shrugged on her jacket and wrapped her purse around her arm. Glancing at M. Bon who was bundling up as well. "It's been said that ever since the VP has taken over, Kaguya's accused him of numerous crimes. And visa-versa. It's a farce that's been tossed back and forth ever since Jiraiya disappeared and Hatake was shipped in from God knows where to head the company. It's odd, really. It's not like that old man to just up and leave without word or warning. And then this stranger comes out of the woodwork, legal papers and the whole shebang claiming he's to watch over everything until Jiraiya's return."

"Did you know Jiraiya very well?" Sakura pulled on her old blue coat and stood by her manager at the door.

"Quite well, actually." She gave a promiscuous smile and Sakura blushed. "I miss that old crony. I've been worried to death ever since I got the news. And with this going on the fifth month since he's been gone with no evidence from the police or detectives, I truly fear for his safety." A worried look overcame Tsunade's amber eyes. And Sakura's heart cried out to the woman. If she put two and two together, then it was likely Tsunade's Jiraiya was currently under the same status as her brother. All thanks to _him_. Hatake.

"So," Tsunade smiled, her facade quickly changing. "How about a cup of coffee with my new apprentice?"

Sakura smiled. "Coffee sounds great."

-

She found it hard to believe. All of it. Her success thus far. How easy it had been, perhaps God hadn't forgotten about her just yet. Maybe he would help her get her vengeance. Smooth down the path here and there to show her the way.

He had shown her the way the day she began her search. The day she quit her job, dropped out of highschool, said goodbye to all her friends, and told her disgustingly fat landlord to go stick it where the sun don't shine-him and all his dirty offers of a free months worth of living if she slept with him. And the day she left home. Withdrew all the money to her name and disappeared into the big city.

Thoughts of revenge flowing through her head. It was all she could do to fill her time, to get past the pain of her brother's death. She clung to it.

_Hatake. _How many nights had she sat up and let that name jog down the sidewalks of her minds eye over and over. She didn't know how he was connected to her brother, but she had searched for him. Knowing there was a link somewhere. Knowing he had to have been a part of his death. Possibly even the cause or committer of the crime. Could he have been the one that murdered her only family member? There was always the doubt in her mind that told her he _wasn't_, and the tingling thoughts that said he _was_. It was always a likely possibility he was just a friend that Akira was staying with, a friend her brother hadn't thought to introduce her to over the years. Or possibly, it was just an name he had made up to pacify her persistent questions of where he had been going that night and why he was going.

Those had been her thoughts for the duration of her search. For weeks that seemed like years she had sought out the man named Hatake. She started out small, asking questions and hoping for answers from strangers on the streets in front of 'questionable' businesses and associations, bars, clubs, etc... She had gotten nothing out of that except empty hands. Then she took her investigation to the police stations. Looking for criminal records and such. And found nothing. They had been strangely, if not awkwardly, overly defiant in giving her any information on people named Hatake.

She moved on again. Not entirely sure where to look next-it wasn't like she was a trained detective. Sakura went to the library, knowing it was a hopeless lead to even think about looking there. But, it was worth a shot. She had to check out all possible reliable sources. And, technically, the library was a source. She sifted through old newspaper articles, and citizenship listings. She only found six people with the wanted name: Two of them were women, which ruled them out immediately. Two more were over sixty and preparing for retirement-a war veteran with no legs and the other a mechanic living on pension checks. One was dead and the other had moved to Europe three years ago. All the Hatake's she had come up with didn't appear to be a threat to society. Then out of boredom, she even checked for books published under the name Hatake-just for the hell of it. She didn't need to bother worrying how that particular search would end.

Hope was quickly going down the drain. It was looking like a wild goose chase more and more everyday. She was just a girl looking for a man that quite possibly didn't even exist.

It was by pure stroke of luck the magazine wrack was by the door, right under the exit sign. And it was by the grace of God that she chanced to look to her right, at that _one_ magazine. And there in big bold letters was the name '_**HATAKE!**_' printed horizontally across the top-the new hot topic of the week. Her heart froze as she read the finer words just below: 'The new VP of world famous Jiraiya Sannin's Modeling Company takes over after the disappearance of company owner...'

"Oh, my god..." She whispered. There's no way...could it be him? Sakura didn't know what to think. She had peeled the magazine from its shelf and rushed back into the library. Kicking a younger boy playing video games off of the computer. She clicked on the little blue 'e' icon and surfed the web. Questions pouring through her veins that she was desperate to have answered. Like, if this really was _the_ Hatake she was seeking, why would her brother be involved with him? He was in the modeling business. What matters of concern would Akira have with such a big shot like that?

She opened the magazine to the table of contents. Found the page number the article was printed on and read through it quickly. It gave no answers, no pictures and no clues. Only the new fashions coming into style and what was out of date. But, it did give her his first name.

Kakashi. Hatake.

She was sure the grin on her mouth was far from innocent. Malevolent was what she felt. And she knew it was radiating from her like a perfume.

Sakura had typed those letters into the search engine on the computer screen. A whole plethora of results were produced after hitting the enter key. She scrolled down, looking for one that would have the most answers. And clicked.

Hours later found Sakura with bloodshot eyes, a aching back and a numb ass. Sitting in the glowing light of the monitor. But with some of the answers she had been seeking found, she couldn't complain at her discomfort.

A man that had seemingly come out of the wallpaper. He had no background information on him whatsoever, as if he had been dropped off onto the planet by a spaceship and thrust to the head of a multi-billion dollar company. No information on where he was born, who his parents were, his schooling or colleges, spouses or children. No pictures. Nothing. All she got was the simple stuff.

Hatake, Kakashi was thirty five years old and had recently taken over the world renown modeling empire founded by Jiraiya Sannin. A fifty six year old avid lover of all women who had mysteriously disappeared four months ago.

It sounded fishy to her. She didn't know why, but it didn't sound _clean_.

When she read further and discovered that her prime suspect was presumably a lead player in a conglomerate of underground drug trafficking, a light switch went off in her head.

Of course...it all started to make sense now.

Akira himself told her the business he was getting into was dangerous. He said he didn't care, because he'd get large sums of money to pay off their fathers debts. He wouldn't tell her any details since it was 'private.' He turned up dead...

What could be more hazardous than drug trafficking? What kind of work paid so much in such short amounts of time that people were beside themselves with temptation to take up the offer? What type of business could Akira gotten himself into that would call for such secrecy? And, most importantly, what kind of a job would have the circumstances of being found at the bottom of a river swimming with the fish?

Drug lords.

After her discovery, it was that very night she left her apartment and told her landlord to shove it. When she started her journey of seeking the employment of Sannin's Modeling Company. When she left for the lights of the big city. Followed the trail of ads and opportunities offered by the corporation.

And when she wormed her pretty little self into the arms of the fashion world.

She was one step closer. And she wasn't going to back down. Sakura knew she had found her man, the one to exact her vengeance. All it would take now to achieve her goal was patience. Time and patience and dedication.

But, how was she going to get close to the head honcho of a big modeling production? The man would be surrounded by beautiful women day in and day out. How the hell would she be able to stand up and stick out to him? Catch his eye and hold his interest.

She would become a model herself. But, would that be enough?

It was a question she would have to ponder over some other day. It would take more than just a few hours to plan that half of her plot...

She sipped her coffee, M. Bon had left their company a few hours prior and listened to her manager explain details and rules she hadn't known existed about the modeling world. How a model should act in public, how passionate she should be about fashions and accessories. To feel the need to love the business and the work. To become friends with the designers she represented. Her adamant attitude that modeling was a far cry from being the easy job that most people saw it gave Sakura some hope she might actually enjoy working in the eye of the media.

"We'll take care of your hair and such tonight." Tsunade was telling her in the small café. "I know a few people I can call and get everything worked in by midnight."

"So soon?" Sakura went to grab a cookie set on the table in front of her and Tsunade quickly smacked her hand away. She instantly withdrew and rubbed the swollen red spot on the back of her hand. Sending the blonde a confused look.

"You're a model now, girl. Your diet will be your obsession." Sakura's stomach growled then, as if in protest with what she was saying. But Tsunade ignored it. "Now, first we will cut your hair. Best to just get that out of the way. Then we'll get to the basics: trimming your eyebrows, manicures and pedicures, skin treatments. New wardrobes. The works. You'll be a celebrity overnight with me taking care of you."

"But, I have no way to pay for all this." Sakura whispered, ashamed that she lacked the funds.

"Feh, by the end of the week you'll be rolling in the doe. Trust me, not a single model that has worked for this company has faltered."

"How will I pay for everything until then, though? I don't think I can take out any loans. I'm only eighteen and lack the credit needed to convince the banks I'd be able to pay them back."

"I'll take care of everything." Tsunade tapped her arm reassuringly.

"No, I can't have you buying me things that expensive." Sakura shook her head. "It wouldn't be right."

"Not me, Sakura. The company." She rolled her eyes. "They help launch our girls into the world. Get them off on the right foot. It's in the policy and papers I'll have you sign later."

"Oh."

"Where are you staying?"

"Uhm, just a hotel in the city." A very cheap and filthy one at that.

"Well, not anymore. I'm sure Kabuto has already called our company management and set you up with an apartment across town."

"My own place?" Her jaw dropped.

"Don't act so surprised. You look like a fish with your mouth open like that...close it before someone sees you." She ordered, Sakura obeyed.

"Lets see..." Tsunade tapped her chin. "We'll go ahead and schedule your first photo shoot for tomorrow morning–"

"What?!" Sakura's head turned as she spewed the mouthful of coffee past her lips. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes, this is a speedy business. We won't waste time in spreading your name across the billboards." Sakura swallowed. "You'll stick to the magazines for now, selling products and company previews for make up and such. You'll be the mannequin for whoever needs your service. Standing on display and answering questions about the product, which you will learn all answers in time. You'll mingle with the guests, advertising and chatting-basically winning them over with your charm. It's easy once you get use to it." She took a casual sip of her coffee. "Now, the runway. You won't be seeing that for a good while. Not until I'm absolutely sure you're ready."

"Ready?"

"Yes, if you're not properly prepared then there always a possibility you could screw everything up. And then your career will be up in smoke. Poof. Just like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis. "Tell me, have you ever taken any modeling classes?"

"Classes?" Sakura tilted her head. "I hadn't known they offered classes for models."

"Oh, yes." Tsunade nodded. "It's very important for you to meet the instructor. Gerard will show you everything there is for you to learn about carrying yourself in public. For instance, he has told every woman that has come through his door, 'A model'z body may be hur tool zat takez hur to vee top. But, hur walk on vee runway iz whut setz hur apart and makez hur a star!'" Tsunade did a poor imitation of a German accent.

Sakura blinked. "My walk?"

Tsunade shook her head. "You're definitely going to take a lot of work."

"I think you're right." Sakura laughed softly and smiled. "But, could you tell me more about this...Kakashi."

"Oh? My new apprentice has a crush?" Tsunade lifted a blonde eyebrow.

"You could...call it that." She leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. "I just know so little about him."

"Well, you're not alone there. Most of the people on earth seem to know next to nothing about Hatake, Kakashi."

"Have you ever met him?"

"Once." She said. "When he first came on the scene five months ago to head the company."

"And?"

"And what?" Tsunade laughed. "There's not much to tell. I was acquainted with him for barely twenty minutes. Then he left."

"That's all?"

"He's a busy man."

"What was he like?"

"Like I said, I only spoke with him for twenty minutes. Hardly enough time to judge someone's character." She tucked a strand of her shoulder length hair behind her ear.

"What did you talk about?"

Tsunade frowned. "Nosy thing, aren't you."

Sakura smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I'm just curious." She leaned back in her seat and tried to regain her air of casualty. "Could you at least tell me what he looks like? I've never seen a picture of him before."

"If I were you," Tsunade explained. "I would be worrying more about your career than a silly crush, Sakura. This is important if you want to succeed. You've dropped out of highschool, so I'd say this is an opportunity you cannot pass up."

Sakura cursed under her breath and nodded solemnly.

"Don't worry too much," Tsunade said as she took in the young woman's disappointed expression. "You'll meet him someday, I'm sure. Though I don't know why you're so interested in him, he's just a man. Nothing great about that."

"You're right." She agreed. "I'll forget all about it and do whatever you tell me, just make sure I make it to the top." She lifted the rim of her coffee mug to her lips to hide the grin she knew was far from benevolent. "All I want is fame...and fortune..."

Her green eyes held her lies well.

_One month later..._

"Haruno!" A loud voice shouted above the music. "Dammit, where is that girl?" Tsunade sifted her way through the obstacles of half naked women bustling to get changed for their next run.

"She's in front, over by the curtains." One of them offered as she ran by, one shoe in her hands, the other on her foot.

"Oh, is she?" Tsunade's jaw clenched. Her face turning red with rage as she made her way over and spotted the girl she was searching for. Eyeing the her up and down, standing behind the black curtains. Peeking her green eyes out to stare at the crowd. "Sakura!"

The girl didn't budge. She stood behind her, her hands on her hips. Her eyes ablaze with fire. She hadn't even heard her!

Tsunade reached out and tapped her shoulder. Sakura jumped.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Uh...I was just–"

"You're on in five. You're supposed to be changing into Anna Sui's newest dress. It's what we're paying you for, remember?" Tsunade grabbed her elbow to pull her back to her vanity. But, Sakura resisted. "Come on, this is only your second run. You can't afford to screw yourself over now." Her grip got tighter.

"Just point him out to me." She looked her square in the eye. "He's out there isn't he? You told me once that he had pale hair, but I can't tell who's who. There's so many people out there." She heard Tsunade curse vulgarities at her under her breath at her stupidity as she rolled her eyes.

"If I tell you, will you start listening to me?" Sakura nodded vigorously and turned back to the crowd beyond the curtain. Past the stage and to the numerous faces watching the current models making their way down the runway. The music loud, very near to deafening. Each of the women dressed in ridiculously revealing and expensive clothes. Displaying them with their bodies, selling them with their style and sensuously persuading poses.

"There." Tsunade leaned over her apprentice an pointed. "Close to the front, in the black pinstripe. He's here to see you, ya know."

Sakura's eyes followed her finger and narrowed in on her target. Dammit, she still couldn't see his face. It was so dark. Lights flashing and flickering that only offered her vague glimpses of his profile. Potential buyers walking in front of her view, blocking her vision. "Me?" She asked.

"I don't know, I suppose he's curious to see the new 'Cherry Blossom of the fashion universe' that has taken over the media. You are a employee of this company, remember?"

"He's surrounded by women..."

"Yeah, that's Kakashi for ya. Nothing strange about that."

But, Sakura didn't hear her. Her heartbeat was irregular as she continued to try at getting a glimpse of his face. Her blood pulsing faster than the beats bleeding through the speakers.

She was so close...

"Haruno, you're on in three!" A man wearing a headset and holding a clipboard announced as he rushed by. Squeezing in his gut as he maneuvered between two racks of flashy clothing.

"That's it." Tsunade forced her away from the curtains. "You should be dressed by now, lets go." Sakura followed this time, letting Tsunade lead her to her small space in the large row of portable vanities. Her line of clothing hung on a small wrack by her mirror. All numbered for her order to change into for each run.

She stripped out of her clothes, Tsunade helping her as she shimmied into the tight white dress embroidered with rhinestones. The hem stopping just above her lower ass cheeks. Clean cuts were made down the rib cage, giving it a saucy and fashionable edge.

"God, did they give me the wrong size again?" Sakura complained as she tried to stuff her breasts into the bodice and step into her shoes at the same time. "You can see straight through the darn thing."

"That's how it works." Tsunade quickly ran a brush through her hair and loaded it down with hair spray. "It's supposed to look like that."

"I can hardly breath," She coughed as she waved the thick mist of hair spray that floated around her head.

"Deal with it, darling." Tsunade said as she looked at the man with the headset on. He was motioning to her by tapping his wrist with two fingers. The universal sign for 'time's up.' "That's your cue." She warned, listening to the heavy beat of music beyond the curtains as the live DJ smoothed the rhythm's into what sounded like a R&B remix. "It's time, hurry up."

"I'm coming!" Sakura staggered to her feet. Barely able to get the last tie on her stiletto's snapped before taking her spot behind another model awaiting her cue to walk.

"Remember what I told you." Tsunade stood beside her. "Just stay calm. If you make it through this alive, you'll be on for Vera Wang's wedding line next week."

"I have done this before." She reminded her. Trying to appear cool and collected. When, truly, she was as anxious as hell. In a few moments, she'd be only a few feet from her brother's killer. It would take all the effort in the world to keep her from lunging off the walk to wrap her hands around his neck. And somewhere deep down inside, Sakura couldn't believe she had made it this far. She told herself to get it together, stay smart. She had worked too hard to mess everything up now. She _wasn't_ going to throw this chance away.

"Only once." Tsunade stepped back. "Calm, Sakura. _Calm!_" She called out. Continuing to remind her pink headed apprentice of the benefits of keeping a cool head.

She ignored her. Taking her spot five inches behind the curtain. Just beyond the view of the audience.

She was next, her heart was thundering. Her hands shaking.

If Tsunade only knew the real reason she was here...

Sakura positioned one foot in front of the other, waiting for her beat. Waiting for the current model that was storming her way back to the curtains with her 'walk.'

The brunette whipped past her and Sakura took off. One heavy stilettoed step at a time, shoes that gave her legs a longer elegant appearance. Exposed for everyone to see by the short dress. The lights were brighter out here, the music was louder. Vibrating in her chest and in her ears. It was hard to accept that a month and a half ago she was living like dirt in a cheap apartment.

Nobody would have believed it.

She kept her eyes straight ahead. Her dark eyeliner charcoaled around her eyes, looking as if someone had tossed a bucket of water on her make-up. Tsunade had told her that was the new look. Flying past the other models who had already made it to the end of the road and started their journey back.

Her famous rosette hair, the hair that had been her source of fame, bouncing around her thin body.

She located his exact position from her peripheral vision. He was close to the runway, right up front. Three more steps. Two. One.

Her hand was on her hip as she passed him. Her mind buzzing. She didn't look at him, but she felt his eyes on her like a snake slithering on her skin. It took all her effort to keep her composure. Not to roll over and vomit. It would have been so easy...so easy to just pull out a little pistol and fire. Right between the eyes.

She thundered onward. To the end of the runway. Struck a seriously sexy pose, one of the many positions Tsunade had taught her. Cameras flashing as they took her picture. People talking to one another, commenting on the dress she was wearing and the popularity of the designer.

The few seconds she spent modeling the outfit was over in a instant. She turned on her heel and worked her way back to the curtains.

And then she did something Tsunade had told her never to do. She broke a rule.

Sakura made eye contact with an audience member.

It was but a single glance, but it sent shivers down her spine. The music seemed to fade, her breathing got heavy and her mouth was dry. Eye contact was made.

Brief as it was, she saw his face. His pale hair. His dark eyes. Sitting on a luxury couch, obviously reserved for VIP's who wanted front row views. Surrounded by at least five women.

He was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. His fingers steepled and hiding the lower half of his face. He looked...purely disappointed. Agitated. Angry. Why? Did he know who she was? Did he recognize her name that had been printed all over the media? Did he actually remember her brother? The man he had killed in cold blood.

She looked away. Peeled her eyes away from him. And walked on. It was a miracle she was able to keep her head on straight. Everything she had done, everything she had sacrificed. Everything she had lost. Had gotten her here. And she had done it all by herself.

She would have to get close to him somehow. Someway. Get past whatever defenses he may have put around himself.

Soon, she told herself. Very soon. And everything would be even between them. Scores would be settled.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Tsunade's voice echoed in the small private dressing room. "Don't think I didn't see that 'look' out there. What have I told you about those kinds of things?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and peeled off the small leather skirt that had been her last wardrobe change of the night. After the show had ended. She had made three runs on the catwalk that night. And now it was over, she was finally able to get out of those damn shoes. "I know, it wasn't professional." She unclasped the strapless brazier from her body and slid it from her chest, throwing it to the back of a chair. "I'm sorry, Tsunade. It was an accident and it won't happen again." She feigned remorse.

"There's no room for accidents for you at this stage in your career."

"Give me a break." Sakura pulled on a shiny silk robe. "I'm still new at this. I bet no one even noticed." She took her earing's off one at a time.

"No one but the current head of our company." Tsunade crossed her arms as Sakura sat down at another vanity to brush out her prized hair.

"Maybe that's what I wanted. Maybe I was trying to get his attention." She smiled.

"Well, I think you succeeded. But, not in the way you wanted." Tsunade rubbed her temples. "Don't be surprised if you're no longer employed by this company after that stunt."

"It's no big deal. I bet he's already forgotten it." Tsunade ignored her. "With all those women around him, he's probably having a ball of a time at some fancy hotel across town by now."

"Do you know how hard I've worked to get you to this point! This popular and famous!"

"Not that hard." She put the brush down and turned to her manager. "Once you got me in front of the camera it was smooth sailing from then on out. Take your own words to heart and calm down, Tsunade. It was just a glance. I seriously doubt I'll be terminated for something so minor." She returned to brushing her hair when a knock sounded on the door.

Tsunade practically growled, her hair bristling to the tip. "What is it?!" She hissed. Sakura shook her head. The blonde was going to have a stroke if she didn't learn to settle her nerves and switch to decaf.

"Open the door." A deep voice said. Smooth, calm. A touch of boredom.

"Who is it.?" She repeated, a little less venom in her tone.

"A scarecrow come to frighten away a bad little birdie." Tsunade's back stiffened, her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as she stared at the door.

"Who is it?" Sakura whispered to the older woman. A look of confusion on her face.

"All my work, gone down the drain." Tsunade frowned and shook her head hopelessly. "I won't be able to save you now, Sakura. You're done for good."

"Stop overreacting and tell me who it is."

"Your crush..." Tsunade looked at her with her amber eyes and inevitable doom in her voice. "I hope you're happy. It's Kakashi. I've never heard of him making personal calls to the models. He's probably come to chew you out."

Sakura's heart stopped.

She wasn't ready for this. How was she supposed to act with him? She hadn't planned on meeting him _this_ soon. Should she be rude and cold? He had killed her brother. But that would push him away. That would defeat her purpose. She needed to draw him into her web, like a black widow. Not chase him off into the horizon and say goodbye to all her hard work and chances at revenge.

"W-what am I supposed to do?" She asked Tsunade with panicked eyes.

"Oh, now you go all damsel in distress on me?"

"What does he want?"

"There's only one way to find out." Her hand was on the knob and before Sakura could stop her Tsunade had unlocked the door and swung it open.

There he stood. The object of her hatred and pain. In his black pinstriped suit and dark red tie. Thick pale hair that looked like it seriously needed a brush taken to it, hanging over his left eye. He had a strong jaw and a hard build. Trim and fit, yet less intimidating with his hunched posture and his hands stuffed into the depths of his pockets. His nose looked as if it had been broken a few times, but it didn't show that much. And as expensive as his suit may have been, he still looked decidedly sloppy and disheveled. His shirt hem untucked from his belt. All in all, up close, Hatake Kakashi was less adverse than she had imagined him to be.

"Tsunade," He smiled. "Nice to see you again."

"And what brings you to this side of the catwalk?" She smiled back. Sakura tried to remain invisible, trying to blend into the wallpaper. She wasn't ready to face him, not yet. She was the first to admit that.

"I just want to meet the little cherry blossom that's swept my company off its feet." He said innocently.

"She's busy."

"Oh?" He tilted his head to look past Tsunade at the pink headed girl staring at him with big green eyes. "She doesn't look busy." Sakura quickly looked away. Ashamed of herself for not having the courage to meet him eye to eye.

"You're not taking her off the market, if that's what you're thinking." She said suddenly, cutting straight to the point of his visit. "I saw the look she gave you on the runway. She's new Kakashi. And she's still nervous out there. Cut her some slack."

"Since when could you read my mind?" He stepped forward and let himself into the room. "And who said I wanted to get rid of her for that particular reason?"

Sakura's eyes scanned the floor. Did he want to fire her because he knew who she was? Or maybe send her swimming with the fish like her brother? She wouldn't let that happen. Not so easily.

Tsunade glanced at her protege and took note of her distress. Well, the girl had brought it on herself, she thought. "Sakura's tired right now. Why don't you come back tomorrow and we'll talk things over in the office." She proposed.

He looked at her and frowned. "Doesn't she know how to talk for herself?"

"Yes." Sakura spoke up then, giving him a blank look. She would wait until she was completely sure how to react to him before showing any type of emotion around the man. Things were still touch and go at this point.

"Good." His frown turned back into a smile. "Do you mind leaving me and my new employee alone for a few minutes?" He asked Tsunade with a glint in his eyes.

The blonde looked at Sakura and waited til she nodded, letting her know it was okay. "Not at all." She walked to the door. Whispering to Kakashi as she left, "Watch your step, Hatake." Their eyes met. "She's my girl now, and I won't let you push her around."

"You have my word." He bowed his head mockingly as she left. Then his eyes fell on her again. Sitting on the small stool in front of her vanity, her hands clutched in her lap to stop her shaking. The pearl colored silk robe hanging loosely on her thin body held shut by the flimsy belt around her waist. "Haruno, Sakura..." He drawled out her name and stepped closer. She stiffened as she looked up at him. Her green eyes lifting to his. Green eyes like her brothers...

"What can I do for you Mr. Hatake?" She swallowed and steeled her nerves.

"Kakashi."

"Alright, what can I do for you Kakashi?" He was quiet for a moment before he replied.

"Tell me, Sakura. I want to know why you're here."

She stopped breathing. He had to know...Tsunade herself said it wasn't like him to make personal visits.

"I've always had a passion for clothing and such." Her voice wasn't nearly as smooth as she wanted it to be as she lied.

"A passion strong enough to drop out of school?"

She swallowed, looking up into his dark eyes. Noticing that his left pupil actually seemed to be missing. It was darker than the other, blank and foggy. "Yes." He came closer, standing just in front of her. Forcing her neck to bend further back to adjust to his height.

"What are you?" He asked, his voice steadily turning hard and dark. "Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Eighteen." She corrected with pride.

"You barely look it."

She frowned back at him. "It's better than being an old geezer." She retorted.

"You're still young, Sakura." He said dryly. "Go back to school. You don't belong here."

"According to the media," She spun her revolving stool around to give him her back. "You're quite wrong. They like me very much, actually." She kept her hands busy by touching up her make-up.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough." He stepped around and leaned against her vanity. Keeping himself propped up by his legs as he crossed his arms. "I don't want you on my company, or any other company for that matter. I don't want you in papers, magazines, movies or the television. In fact, I don't want you anywhere near a camera lense. I want you to go home and forget you ever stepped foot on a runway."

Sakura gaped at him for a minute, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. What the hell? This wasn't part of her plan. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had to rebuff this. It was just another obstacle to jump over. To work her way around and persuade him otherwise. All she had to do was think. He was a _man_, all men could be convinced with the right kind of tactics.

And what she was about to do next would test the boundaries of her determination for revenge.

"Well, _Kakashi_," She stood slowly, drawling out his name as sensuously as she possibly could. Trying to entice him with her feline eyes. "I'm sure there's something I could do to change your mind." Her stomach churned as she leaned in close and ran her finger down his jaw. She felt it flex, and then he shook his head as if he were disappointed in her. Disappointed! Okay, that was unexpected...was she not sexy enough?

"You're not staying."

She furrowed her brows and frowned at him. Her chin jutting out in anger as she quickly drew her hand away from his face as if it had burned her. "Tsunade won't let you get rid of me." She retook her seat. Landing with an all too inelegant thump as she sat. "She likes me too much."

"Tsunade can't do a damn thing against me. You'll do asI say."

She rolled her eyes and turned her head away. "Quit pretending like you have the right own me. You're acting like my father."

"Someone has to."

Her head jerked back around. "What was that?" Was he insinuating that she had no father? Only her brother could have told him that...

"I'm just saying no father in his right mind would allow his daughter to drop out of highschool to become a model."

"Oh." She lowered her head back down. "So there's nothing I can do to convince you to let me stay?" Here's where she was most likely to get him snagged. She always best at the guilt trips. "With my parents questionable responsibilities and all, you wouldn't actually send me back to a home like that, would you? Because that would make you just as irresponsible as them. Or am I wrong?"

He looked...annoyed.

"Can I ask you another question, Sakura?"

She smiled sweetly. "Of course."

"Do you prefer French or Italian?"

"Huh?"

"I'm taking you to dinner to finish this discussion, Ms. Haruno. I suggest you be ready in fifteen minutes."

She huffed. "I never said I would go–"

"Do you want to continue modeling or do you not?" If she wanted to get to the bottom of her brothers murder, then yes.

She gave him a look that easily conveyed her rage. Her mouth pressed into a thin line. He smiled.

"And wear something nice. My car will be waiting at the rear exit."

She stood and opened her mouth to protest. But he stopped her as he pulled back his sleeve to look at his watch.

"Fourteen minutes and thirty five seconds, thirty four, three..." He opened the door and left. His voice fading as he continued to count down as he walked away from her room.

"Damn him." She muttered under her breath. "Damn that bastard." Her eyes got wet, but she quickly wiped them dry again. This wasn't how she wanted things to go. She wanted to kill that murderer. Shoot him, stab him, strangle him. Anything to avenge her brothers name. To smack that lazy expression off his face. And make him beg for mercy. Nothing more vicious than a woman scorned, right?

But...

Sakura finally began to realize she was in over her head. She had taken action on her brothers death when the police had seemed to lack the interest in solving the crime. It was just another homicide that would go unsolved to _them_. But it was important to _her_. This man had done her wrong and he had to pay for his crimes.

Life was a lesson for her. A test of death, loneliness, and survival. And life had dealt her Hatake, Kakashi as a pop quiz. And so far she had failed. Miserably. She hadn't come close to achieving her top priority. But, when the time came for her to execute the task she had come so far to complete would she have the guts? Would she have the nerve to look a living, breathing human in the eye and pull the trigger?

She pulled a dress off one of the clothing wracks in her room and decided with her heart in her throat.

Yes. But it would still take time before she was ready. She still wanted information out of him. Why her brother was working for him. And why he killed him.

He pulled his car in front of the first-class Italian restaurant later that night. A mob of paparazzi and journalists swarming around the car. Awaiting for them to exit. Cameras flashing, people yelling through the windows. Asking shameless personal questions of their victims.

"God," He took his hand off the steering wheel and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Don't these people ever give up?"

Sakura shielded her eyes and turned her face from a particularly bright camera flash. She had been quiet the entire ride to the restaurant. Sitting like a little mouse in a hole, wearing her designer cocktail dress that stopped mid-thigh. Silver and sparkly in the lights. Held up by thickly braided straps that sat comfortably on her shoulders. "I suppose they don't." She replied, holding up her purse to cover her face. "We won't be able to leave the car without getting marauded."

He shook his head and turned to her with a smile. "How well do you like ice cream, Sakura?"

She smiled back as she caught the drift. "Better than Italian, if that's what you're asking."

It wasn't long before the crowd of people disappeared behind them as he put the car into gear and drove off. Forgetting about the restaurant and headed for the nearest ice cream shop.

"How come I've never seen a picture of you before?" She asked as he took a curve. Driving through the city lights and buildings. Power lines and cars in every direction she turned. "Why do you try so hard to keep your face hidden from the world?"

"I don't like having my picture taken."

"I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but I think you're in the wrong business if that's what the case is."

"I have my reasons." She didn't push it any further.

Her eyes fell on a pack of reds sitting in a crevice beneath the radio system of his car. Already open and half empty. "Don't tell me you smoke?" She grimaced.

"Huh? Oh," He took his eyes off the road for a second to glance at the source of her question. "No, those belong to one of my friends." She swallowed nervously. She didn't want to think of the kinds of friends he had.

"So, where are we going?"

"I don't know. I figured we could just drive around all night until we finally stumble upon someplace to get some ice cream."

"Oh, well I know of this really nice spot that sells–"

"Sakura," He cut her off. "I was joking."

"Oh." She turned her head away and starred out the window. Nothing particular running through her mind, except the fact she was sitting inches away from her brothers killer. She sat in silence again until he pulled up to the small tropical looking cottage. The bold words 'Snow Cone Pagoda' on the sign just outside the hut. White sideboards and a blue roof. Surrounded by tables with umbrellas hovering over head which were being rolled down and packed away for the night.

"Snow cones?" She asked.

"They have ice cream, too." He opened his door and stuck a foot out. "Unless you'd like to go back and talk to the pushy paparazzi?"

"No," She smiled and shook her head. "Ice cream is perfectly fine."

"That's what I thought." He got out and walked to the passengers side to open her door and help her out. "I think we may be underdressed for this place." He glanced at the other people sitting outside the small business eating their chilled deserts. Staring at the flashy couple that had just pulled into the tiny parking lot.

Sakura turned her head as she smiled at his bland joke. A real smile, she was ashamed to admit. "We came on such short notice, though." She followed as he put his hand on the small of her back and ushered her forward. "Hardly enough time to get properly dressed for such an occasion."

He gave her a charming smile and winked. She lowered her eyes.

"What can I get for you today?" The vendor stepped up to the window and clicked the tip of her pen in and out vigorously. Her mouth smacking as she chewed her gum.

Kakashi gave Sakura an expecting look, waiting for her to speak up and name her request.

"What flavors do you have?" She asked.

"All of our flavors and sizes are listed on the board behind me." The young woman pointed over her shoulder at a large banner and continued to chew with her mouth open.

"Can I have a vanilla ice cream dipped in butterscotch?"

"What kind of cone would you like?"

"Uh, regular is fine."

"How many scoops?"

"Two."

"Alright, and what about you?" She looked to Kakashi.

He ordered a lime slurpy and paid the vendor. They sat opposite of each other on a large wooden picnic table placed outside the pagoda for customers to eat and enjoy their food. Under the glow of a street lamp in the late hours of the night. A cricket rubbed its wings together, joining in a symphony of night bugs surrounding them.

"You might want to eat that before it melts on your dress." He said as he stuck his hand in his pocket and leaned back on a concrete wall behind his half of the table. Bringing his plastic cup up and sticking the straw in his mouth as he slurped his slushy loudly. "It's only spring, but it's still warm out for this time of year."

A young kid zoomed by on a skateboard and starred at Sakura with wide eyes in her exotic dress. She ignored him and took a lick of her cone. Taking little pleasure in the sweet taste of the butterscotch.

"You don't...act like the vice president of a modeling company." She concentrated on a glob of vanilla cream sliding down her cone. Swiping it away with her thumb then brought it to her mouth.

"You don't act like a sophisticated model."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm still adjusting."

"I want to talk about your career." He said as he took another loud sip of his slushy. Was he purposely being loud and ilmannered?

"I'm not giving up." That sentence had more than one objective to it. "At least let me stay until the end of next week. Tsunade told me I would be modeling for Vera Wang. And I really do want to wear her new gowns. I know I can convince you that I'm completely capable of working for you if you just give me a chance."

He stretched his legs. "I'll think about it."

"You're enthusiasm is encouraging." She sighed.

"I've never been enthusiastic."

"I can tell."

"Tell me about your life before modeling." He looked her in the eyes. And she still couldn't get past the feeling something was wrong with them. His eyes. Something was off balance. It wasn't anything obvious or blatantly up front for her to recognize, but it was there somewhere. "I'm curious."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She went back to casually munching on her ice cream.

"Try me."

"I'm a run away." She said without preamble.

"Really?" He drawled out.

"Yup, my father beat me and my mother was a prostitute." She purposely put a lack of depressing emotion in her voice. Instead, sounding chipper and unaffected.

"And so you decided to become a model as your only escape?" He chuckled. "Interesting choice."

"Why not? It worked didn't it?"

"Not much of a life." He put his cup down and linked his fingers together behind his head. "You've still got people controlling your every move. You can't do a damn thing without someone knowing about it."

"Only a minor sacrifice."

"For all the fame and fortune, right?"

"Exactly." She smirked. He seemed to be falling for every word. Or maybe he was just going along with the charade. "I'm a gold digger, you know."

"Is that so?" He seemed unfazed. "Does that mean I should watch my heart?"

Much more than that, she thought. But, her foreboding expression was missed by him. "You might be harder to trap than the other men I've seduced, but I could get the job done."

He peeked an eye open at her. A brow raised.

"Yes, I saw that harem of yours sitting around you at the show."

"Harem? That term's a little out of date."

She nodded in agreement. "But as you just displayed tonight, the practice is not."

"Alright," He leaned forward and shifted his legs between hers across the table. Her body suddenly stiffened at the contact. "Why don't we go back to my place and start the training. Did you know I can get a woman's top off without her even noticing?"

Sakura immediately stood when she felt the material of his pants on her inner thigh. Dropping her ice cream on the table and clasping her hands behind her back to hide her shaking. She attempted to give a condescending laugh, but it only turned out sounding strangled. "Don't get ahead of yourself." She looked down at him, she was pale. He was still smiling. "I like to tease my victims before I empty their bank account."

"A huntress." He stood and took the few steps to put him on her side of the table. "I think I like that. Tell me, what does the big cat do with her prey once she has caught her mouse?"

Sakura's mouth gaped at the progress he was making on her. She took two quick steps back, a desperate attempt to put space between them. But when the heel of her stiletto jammed in a crack on the concrete, she stumbled backwards off balance. Her arms lunged forward, her hands searching for a purchase to clasp onto. She was barely able to get her fingers into the folds of his jacket in time as he grabbed her elbow.

Nearly taking him down with her, she steadied herself with her other foot as she pulled herself forward. Levering herself by digging her nails into is clothing. Colliding into his chest, which she quickly learned was as hard as a rock. She held still for a few minutes, still holding onto his jacket. Until she realized just exactly who it was she was leaning into. Before she could pull away he wrapped his arms tightly around her and said,

"If you wanted to dance, Sakura. All you had to do was ask." She felt goose bumps on her skin and she tried to blame it on the cool air around them. Not his deep voice that seemed to have the magical ability to make her toes curl. "I wouldn't mind being at the receiving end of those hips..." She felt his hands slipping lower from her back to her waist.

She pushed away from him. Her eyes wide and her breathing heavy with what she hoped was rage. He killed her brother. He ruined her life. He was a drug lord for God's sake! What the hell was she thinking? If she had to seduce him to reach her goal then so be it. But that didn't mean she had to be seduced by him.

He looked at her and frowned, giving her a mock pout of his lips at her denial. "And here I was, hoping you'd be my own personal Dirty Diana."

Sakura looked away and wrapped her arms over her chest. Feeling unsafe and unsure of herself. She was confused and even a little scared. He was playing with her and she didn't know what to do. She had spent over a month tracking this bastard down, and now that she had him within arms reach she had no clue what to do with him. He didn't seem like a drug lord. Or act like a murderer. But that didn't mean a damn thing. She could be wrong, she could be right.

She quickly blinked away a tear and shook her head. She was frightened. And as much as she hated to admit it, he was winning. He was doing what she had wanted him to do and she was left clueless.

"I want to go home." She said, trying to sound annoyed and detached at the man all at once.

Then she heard the slide of material as he stuffed his hands into his pockets again, staring at her. "Runaway." He chuckled.

"I'm not running away." She let out a breath. "It was all that ice cream...I'm lactose intolerant."

He let out a belt of laughter then. "You're the one who started it, princess."

"_I _didn't wrap my arms around you, oh chivalrous _knight_."

He gave her a dour look.

"Oh?" She smiled triumphantly with a little lift of her chin. "No comeback?"

His lip curled. "Your chariot awaits, your highness." He held his arm out, waiting as she hesitantly took it and he walked her to his car.

He pulled up in front of her apartment complex later that night around one. Traffic was down to a minimum and the street lamps were bright. Cars were parked up and down the streets and the sidewalks were empty.

"Thank you for the ride." She said as he helped her out and walked her to the front entrance of the complex. "Tsunade will talk with you– Wh-what are you doing?" She asked as he started to follow her inside.

"I'm going up to your apartment. And then you're going to ask me if I want some coffee."

She actually laughed at him. He had to be kidding. "That's not a good idea."

"You're not afraid of me, are you?"

Well, that was partially true. But she wasn't going to let him know that. They rode the elevator up to the fourth floor. She casting him nervous side glances every other second. And him just looking as unaffected and casual as usual. His clothes looking in worse shape than what they had when she first saw him earlier that night. He looked wrinkled and carefree. It was a look that would have been cheap on any other man, but for some reason, it worked for him. It was natural.

"I've been wondering," She said as she slid the key in her door and unlocked it. "There's something about your eyes I can't get past." She turned the knob and opened the door to her hip abode. He listened as she spoke. "It's been bothering me all night and I've noticed you always keep me on your right side."

"So?"

"You're blind in your left eye, aren't you?" Her voice held a soft tone to it.

One corner of his lips lifted. "You've been with me all night and you're just now realizing this?"

"So I'm right."

"So you are. Is there a problem?"

"No," She stepped into her apartment first and he followed. "How did it happen, if you don't mind me asking." She flipped on the lights and threw her purse on a decorative table pressed to a wall.

"I do mind."

She shrugged. "You must do dangerous business to have risks like that." Dangerous enough to kill people...

"I hear a touch of venom in that voice," He leaned against the doorframe of her kitchen as she walked into the tiled room. "Are you insinuating something?"

Sakura ignored him.

"Do you mind if I look around?" He asked.

"Go ahead." She said as she grabbed a pencil off her counter and quickly dipped it under her hair. Twisting it around twice before stabbing it down into the thick mass to hold it off her neck. "Tsunade is the one who found it for me. I think it's a little much." He didn't reply, but she didn't hear his footsteps as he made his way silently through her apartment, either. "I didn't want anything this big...but, you know how Tsunade is." Still no response. "What kind of coffee do you want? I think all I have is decaf." She pulled out a small can of coffee beans and called out to him.

"I'll pass." She jumped as his voice sounded from behind her. Her heart skipped. What the hell was he? A drug lord _and_ a sleuth? He hadn't made a sound. Not once. Not a click of the heel on the tile floor, no breathing. Nothing.

Sakura let out a breath and said, "I thought that's what you came up here for?"

"Simple Sakura's so silly." He tsked.

"Huh?' She frowned.

"I just wanted to get you all to myself. Alone and secluded." Sakura's hands tightened around the coffee can. "And ravish you into submission." He moved in closer, his tall figure blocking out the overhead kitchen light. His expensively sloppy looking clothes still holding the faint traces of his cologne.

"R-ravish?" She swallowed, wishing he would start stepping back instead of forward. Be brave, she told herself over and over again.

"Yes," He put a sly hand gently on her upper arm. And although she was standing in the middle of her kitchen, free to turn and run. She felt helplessly trapped. "You said you would seduce me and drain my bank accounts. I'm tired of waiting for the seducing part."

"Patience is a virtue." She gave him a jerky sort of smile.

"So is curiosity," His other hand went to her other arm. "And obedience," He slid his palms to her shoulders and she wasn't sure if she were trembling because of disgust or something more. Something she didn't understand. "...beauty," Sakura kept her eyes locked on the buttons of his shirt and clenched her jaw when he lent his head down next to hers. Whispering in her ear. "...flexibility," She stilled her breathing. "...discretion and devotion,"

She felt a finger slip under a braided strap of her dress, teasing and testing its tautness by running his finger up and down the material. She wanted to push away and pull herself closer at the same time. If she wanted to get under his skin, was this the only way? The only way to avenge her brother? Her heart began beating faster with what she named as fear. "...innocence and purity," His other finger followed suit and captivated her left dress strap.

"..._unity_." Sakura felt her knees buckle when his warm breath exhaled across the flesh of her ear. Her face turned red when a pathetic sound echoed in the confines of her throat when she understood just exactly what kind of unity he was referring to.

"Tell me, Sakura, how much experience have you gained in seduction?" He took that one step forward and pressed his chest to hers. The contact distracting enough that he was able to slide one thin silver strap off her shoulder. "Just how skilled are you?" She felt his lips brushing just under her ear, over her neck. Her height barely matching his in her stilettos.

"I can handle you, if that's what you're worried about." She attempted to sound sure of herself. But the self-esteem in her sexuality department was far from high. Thus, she came off sounding like a elementary schoolgirl trying to fit in with the popular highschool cheerleaders.

He chuckled. "I have a feeling you're not as good as what you think you are." The other strap fell. She didn't reply, nor did she notice. "I need to know what to expect from a woman." His arms slid around her, big and warm and enticing. It was at that moment Sakura nearly went brain dead. An odd sensation coursing through her veins. Hot and tempting.

"How did you like it, Sakura, when the other men took you?" The fingers of his right hand closed around the small zipper on the back of her dress while the fingers of the left played with the nape of her neck. The rough pads of his fingers running up and down her skin softly sending delectable little shivers over her spine. Tickling the fine line where her thick head of hair became relevant. Her voice had stopped working.

"Did you like it slow," He pressed his thighs to hers and slowly tugged the zipper down a few inches. Sakura had to steady her hands, one clenching onto his wrinkled jacket and the other squeezing the coffee can in her palm. Stopping the little shakes that felt like earthquakes in her fingers. "Or fast...and hard." She cried out softly when his teeth bit into the lobe of her ear. The tip of his tongue touching her skin with a teasing stroke. The only thing holding up her dress being the arousing man pressed firmly against her. She felt dizzy and disoriented at the way he was handling her.

She looked up at him with dazed eyes as he leaned back a little. Smiling down at her, looking triumphant and satisfied.

"Simple Sakura's so silly..." He repeated his statement from moments before. "...and naive."

She tilted her head and frowned then. Her brows furrowing in confusion. Simply wishing he'd go back to whispering in her ear again.

"I told you I could get a woman's top off without her even realizing it." His smile broadened as he took a single step back, the top half of her silky garment falling all the way down to her waist...exposing her bare bosom for his view.

Her modest breasts showing the blatant effects of how his taunting had effected her body. The soft pink buds hard and protruding with arousal.

"It seems I have done my job well." He crossed his arms with masculine pride.

And in that moment...only the gods above could have saved his soul.

In the next second Hatake, Kakashi stumbled out the door of her apartment. A distinct, thick red hand print branded on the right side of his face.

"Get out!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. His eyes squinting as his ears protested with the high, shrill voice.

Kakashi turned just in time to see a dark red coffee tin fly past his head and slam into the wall behind him. Missing his ear by a few centimeters, his hair swaying with the breeze at the speed and force she had thrown it. The contents of the can splattering as the lid busted off, coffee beans spilling onto the white carpeting of the hallway.

Before he could open his mouth, the door was slammed shut in his face. Followed by a deliberately enthusiastic click of both her locks.

He blinked at the door. Staring at it only seconds before he shrugged, stood and brushed himself off as walked out of the complex.

As much as he hated exploiting her obvious naivety, it's regrettably what he had wanted to accomplish. He may have realized what _her_ true goal was in this business without her finding him out. But, _he_ had one as well...and now he had another mission: to frighten her off. To scare her away from him and her new modeling career. And her misplaced desires to assassinate him all by herself.

After all, he had promised her brother...no. He wouldn't worry about that right now. He had to concentrate on kicking Sakura out of his employment. Or at least, if nothing else, keep her glued to his side. Within arms reach.

Kakashi got into his car and pulled out his cell phone. Pressing the speed dial, he waited for the ringing to stop and the recipient of his call to answer.

"Asuma?" He said as a voice replied on the other end of the line. "Yeah, it's me. Have you got a fix on my location?"

"_We've got a man watching your back now. What's up?_"

"I want you to set up twenty four hour surveillance on the apartment I just left. And the girl."

"_Will do. Who is she?_"

"Haruno's little sister."

There was a momentary silence. "_Really?_"

"Yeah. She's been all over the media for well past a month now."

"_She's actually shown her face in public? After what happened? Kakashi, this isn't good..._"

"I know. Akira was a smart kid. I just assumed that she would have half the brains he did." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess I was wrong."

"_What are you going to do about it?_"

"Like I said, you're going to watch her around the clock. Don't let her out of your sight."

"_Dammit, why did she have to show up now? If she screws this up then the whole operation will be a waste of time._" His partner growled. "_What does she want?_"

"I think I have an idea. And I think it has something to do with me and her brother."

"_Revenge?_" His voice was puzzled.

"Yeah."

"_You've got to be kidding me. She actually thinks..._"

"Yeah," He repeated. "I'm going to let her continue thinking I'm Akira's murderer. At least it will make it easier to keep her drawn to me. I want her by my side as much as possible. It'll be better that way. Safer. I was able to get into her apartment tonight and check around. I wanted to make sure there wasn't anyone following her."

"_Whatever you say boss._"

"I'm not your boss, Asuma."

"_Until this shit is over, then you're the man._" He laughed. "_Listen, I don't want to say much more over the phone. But...our guy was at the little lady's fashion shindig tonight._"

"What?" His voice raised. "I didn't see him anywhere. Why didn't you contact me immediately?"

"_He kept to shadows, turns out he had his own private room on the second floor from where he could 'observe.' We didn't know about it until the whole thing was over. Do you think he came to see her?_"

"I have no doubt about it. She wasn't smart enough to change her last name. He probably recognized her brother's name like I did. I guess it was a good thing I skimmed through her apartment if hereally was at the show tonight. There's no telling what he's up to."

"_You know, Kakashi, she may be more of an aid to us than a hindrance. It seems she's drawling all kinds of cockroaches out of the woodwork._"

"Don't even think about it." His voice went dark. "You remember what happened to her brother the last time we started thinking like that."

"_Yes..._" He stayed silent before saying, "_Jiraiya's been raving to talk to you–_"

"Asuma!" Kakashi cut him off. "God dammit, the phone."

"_Alright, I'll get into contact with you later._"

"Fine."

They hung up and Kakashi took one last glance at the window of the apartment he had just left and rubbed his sore cheek. The lights went off as she retired to bed and he shook his head. This whole game was getting more and more complicated everyday...

He sat in the car for five more minutes before he started the engine and drove off.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**------**

'_Guilt is the very nerve of sorrow._'

-Horace Bushnell

**------**

His leg was slung over the edge of the bed. Dark covers tossed aside and a pillow stuffed over his head. His back facing the ceiling with his nose smashed unceremoniously into the mattress. An open mouth snoring and producing a petty waterfall of drool to soak the sheets.

Kakashi looked like he had stumbled onto his bed and passed out the moment his face hit the covers...which, basically, is what had happened. He still had on his pinstripe pants from the night before, at least he had been able to remove his jacket and dress shirt. The belt around his hips was only half removed, still hooked on two loops. His tie, however, had proved too complicated a task to be removed at that moment the prior night and had remained a casualty to be left behind. The flashy red satin accessory had twisted around in the night, to go from hanging loosely around his neck and down his chest, to settling between his sharp shoulder blades; touching on old scars that decorated his tan flesh. He had yet to even notice it's misplaced lodging.

His hair looked worse than usual and his clothes were stained and smelt like alcohol. All he could say for himself was, thank God for taxi cab's.

He slowly turned over, throwing the pillow covering his face to the side in aggravation. Puffing it's feathers shot out of an old hole in the fabric as it hit the wall. What happened to the dream he was having? What happened to all the women on the beach in skimpy bikini's offering him expensive tequila and margarita's laced with rum? Where was his vacation? His fantasy-like paradise that was straight from the pages of a book? Dammit, why was he even awake? And why was his head buzzing? He hadn't drank that much last night...had he? He had stopped counting after the eighth or ninth beer simply for brevities sake.

Another skull piercing ring assaulted his ears and he honed in on the source of the vexing sound.

The phone.

He was going to have to disconnect that thing.

He tossed his hand over to the night stand situated to his right and felt around for the phone. Nearly knocking the lamp over in the process, his fingers found the receiver and brought it to his ear. His eyes blinking back to life in a narrow haze directed toward the white ceiling fan, barely awake.

"Speak," He ordered in a zombie-like status before yawning.

"What the hell are you doing?" A hard voice greeted him.

"Genma, honey, how many times have I told you not to call me like this. Your wife may find out and become insanely jealous." He mocked with a lazy sense of detachment.

"Go to hell, Hatake."

"Yes, dear." He yawned again, this time making sure it was loud and enthusiastic enough for the other man to hear.

"You were supposed to be at the office one hour ago. Do you even know what time it is?"

"Sure, it's...uh..." He blinked harder to clear his vision as he glanced at the digital clock. "Seven."

"I'm tired of your shit, Hatake. Keep it up and you'll be getting a severance check."

"I'm a reformed man already. You've changed me and my wayward ways for good." He heard another sigh of irritation. Genma was getting good at executing that noise.

"Have you been drinking again?"

"No..." He let out a loud belch that betrayed his denial...he was proud of that belch, it was one of the loudest he'd conjured up in the last month. "But, the strangest thing happened to me last night and I didn't get in until four. You see, these little men in white uniforms–"

"Save it." He was cut off. "Just get your ass down here before I have Asuma and Gai confiscate you."

"I'll be there in half an hour–" The resounding click signified the other mans hang up before he could finish the sentence. Well, he had done it again. Genma was pissed. Thoroughly. And pissed wasn't good. It was the weekly briefing down at the department and he was late. As usual.

So, scrubbing his hand over the side of his stubbly chin, he rolled over and closed his eyes. _Just thirty more minutes..._

Three hours later, Kakashi walked through the front doors of the city's downtown officers division. His hands tucked deep within the pockets of his sleek(hopelessly wrinkled) suit as he casually strode straight through to the detectives district. The department that was located in the rear of the ancient red brick organization. Tossing a wave to a few old friends. Phones rang, beepers beeped, pens scratched on paper, copy and fax machines buzzed and people talking into their cells surrounded him on his way back.

He paused just outside old oak door number thirty five, the name above the bordering framework of the portal read: Chief Detective/Inspector Shiranui, Genma.

Genma, the bastard. Kakashi smirked. That man wouldn't even have taken up the head position if Hayate, God bless the dead officer, hadn't gotten shot a year ago in yet another drug bust pulled off by the station. That was a tough time for everyone at the department. Gekkou was a good man and a good cop. It was clear to all that Genma didn't even want the job, he probably felt like he hadn't deserved it or earned it properly. That was understandable. A man like Genma wanted to work his way up the ladder, not inherit it from friends who've passed away.

Kakashi could relate. He wouldn't be in this position today if it weren't for his ex-partner, Obito, and the shit they had gone through on _that_ day twelve years ago. The day his partner was murdered, the day he lost complete vision in his left eye. Every second of that day haunted his dreams, leaving him in a disconcerted state of mind. Then again, Kakashi had upped himself to his current rank of his own free will; he hadn't received the hierarchy of Genma's first in command simply because the position needed filled. Kakashi _fought_ his way here with hard work. He chose the swap from basic breaking and entering/small time drug deals investigator to homicide detective, even receiving the occasional calls from bounty hunters asking for his assistance in stalking down convicts on parol with bonds to be paid off. Rather than Genma who was forced into the circumstance.

His long fingers skimmed along his scalp and snagged on a knot. He briefly realized he had forgotten to brush out his hair that morning after his shower. He had needed that shower, skin stinging and biting cold. He was running on three hours of restless sleep. That icy shower was definitely a necessity if he wanted to make it through the morning.

What ever happen to rest and relaxation for a man? A time when he could sit down and enjoy a cold beer without worry of the consequences in the morning. He had some vacation time coming, paid too. But he couldn't take leave while working on this case, they wouldn't let him back out now. Nor did he wish to. Because, now, not only did he have to complete his current assignment, he also had to keep a promise to another dead friend. And that was something he could never leave unfulfilled.

Raising his hand, he let the back of his knuckles tap on the frosted glass window. Opening the door before even waiting for a reply. He stepped inside. Genma appeared to be finishing a phone call and jotting something down on printed paper, maybe signing a approved report. Nodding his head and mumbling something into the receiver.

Kakashi took his seat in a chair by the door after closing it behind him. Not bothering to sit at one of the proffered chairs in front of his chiefs desk. He watched the other man scratch his brown head of hair and sigh as he put the phone down.

"Shit, Genma. When was the last time you got some sleep?" He asked, taking in the mans worn apparel and bloodshot eyes. He looked...stale.

"You're one to talk," He countered. "You've got ten pounds dragging under each eye." Kakashi blinked, he never looked droopy-eyed...did he? "You missed the briefing, Hatake." Genma rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Now I have to take time out of my schedule to personally keep you up to date. The meeting began at six, you're four hours late arriving here and by the time I'm through with you," He checked his watch. "You'll be another three hours late arriving at the Modeling Corporation-which is where you were supposed to be at eight." He shook his head, wondering how Kakashi could even keep track of such a jumbled agenda.

"Well, I had this thing at the gym and then there was this woman..."

Genma put a hand up to stop him.

"I can't help it. How do you expect me to keep this sexy physique without regular exercise. I have to be in good shape for the job, ne? "

"The _briefing_," He shook his head again and bit down on the splintered toothpick hanging from his lips. Reminding him of his purpose here.

Kakashi leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs at the ankles. "There's nothing you need to say. Asuma already told me about his appearance last night at the show. It hadn't been expected or else we would have been prepared. Besides, you know how tight-lipped those club owners are about their clients; we couldn't have gotten any information about their private booths even if we beat it out of them."

"Which is another thing," Genma gave him a glance that clearly stated he was even less happy with him than usual. "What the hell is going on in the field? You've been out there for nearly six months, Hatake. _Six_ months. That's half a year and you're still barely tracking our man."

He shrugged. "It takes time with the big fish. Besides, we've already gotten under the skin of his lap dogs; Kimimaro and Kabuto. Although, I'm sure Kimimaro still doesn't trust me one hundred percent. But it's only a matter of time before they let me in completely."

"Like we thought they'd let Akira slip in?" Genma questioned. Kakashi grimaced.

"That was never a good idea to begin with." The mention of Akira was a obviously a tender topic, a _disturbing_ topic. "We thought Orochimaru was starting to suspect me of being on the force, so I brought in a man that wouldn't seem so obvious. A civilian to infiltrate his walls for the night to get insider information; a rat. We broke a rule because the means _justified_ the ends. Just because Orochimaru's categorized as a big catch...feh, like it gave us the rights to pull off a stunt like that." His voice was bitter and near distasteful. "We never should have brought in an innocent, we were out of line..._way_ out of line."

"And what makes you think he won't do the same to you once he lets you into his circle? What makes you think you're not already on his hit list?"

He shrugged and made special liberties to keep his face deadpan. "It comes with the job." That was the truth. The risk was something every man on the force faced and accepted. Most of the men and women around here wouldn't be missed if anything were to happen. Him included in that meager group of expendables. And that aspect made him quite valuable in this field. It was qualities like that which kept a man like himself in high demand in cases where he might...unexpectedly expire. No family would be left behind.

Genma nodded in approval. He had been at that stage once upon a time, that is until he got married. The death of his friend had helped him realize that time should never be wasted. No matter what ones views on life may be. Or how far he believes his own life can be stretched. Kakashi himself should have learned that lesson ages ago, he too had lost friends to the job. But Kakashi and Obito's circumstance had been acutely different from that of Genma and Gekkou. "There's been a small decrease in the amount of model disappearances over the past month. Monique Xavier was the last body we've found."

"Pictures?" Kakashi asked.

Waiting patiently as Genma pulled a file out of his drawer to toss it across the small room.

When he opened the documents, he observed the photos of the gruesome crime scene with detachment. Flipping through the reports and examining the layout of the body on the ground. The bullet shells that had been left behind a few feet from the young woman's body. The hole in the back of her head, her purse contents splayed out on the concrete around her lifeless body. "Looks like Kabuto's work."

Genma nodded. "I think they're cooling down, she's the last one we've found." He announced as he watched the man sift through the pages. "That or Orochimaru's becoming tired of dealing with the girls who don't follow his orders."

"Yes," He started, closing the file and tossing it back to Genma's desk. "Much as some criminals demonstrate changes in their routine. He lures models into his grasp through Kimimaro, Kabuto, himself and others in his drug ring." He leaned comfortably back in his chair, resting his head against the wall as he stared lazily at the ceiling. "Once they're hooked on whatever fix he supplies them with, Orochimaru uses them to deal the dirt out to his buyers. Which reduces the chances of himself getting snagged into the mess and out of our reach. But, when the women become too demanding, disagreeable or simply want out..."

"He expires them." Genma finished. "But after all this time in hiding, why would he come out now? Why would he make an appearance? It would seem unlikely he would go through such pains to keep himself concealed for so long only to come out for no good reason." He eyed the man under his command with scrutiny. Genma already knew the reason behind Orochimaru's debut and he was fairly certain that Kakashi new as well, but would Kakashi tell him? Would he tell him about the girl or would he lie to protect her? To keep her out of the flames. He wanted to know if his best man was willing to keep any secrets to guard her. How far would he cross the line and leave his job behind to hide her from Genma?

Kakashi smirked, he understood clearly. It was easy to figure it out just by looking into Genma's skeptical brown eyes. "You disappoint me, Genma. I have underestimated your faith in me. To think I would lie to my own boss? Really, I'm offended."

"I put you on this job because you do what you're told, Hatake. You don't ask questions and you follow orders without argument like a good obedient, mindless, soldier." Kakashi frowned. It was a partially true statement, more like a completely true _fact_. But why did the thought of that accusation bother him so much? Had Kakashi really let himself become so cold over the years? "You're the best man we have to put on missions like this. You work great undercover, but being a bodyguard is not part of your resume. Now, save me the pains of tedious background research and tell me what you know of the girl. And I mean _everything_."

He kept his mouth shut for a moment, contemplating whether or not it was a good thing to get her involved in this mess. Then again, she had already gotten herself half-way tangled in the web without his help. And if he told him everything? Then Genma would still probably run a search for more information on her. Either way it was completely moot. "She's Sakura Haruno. Naturally, Akira Haruno's younger sister. Dropped out of highschool in the last semester of her senior year. Turned eighteen around six months ago, no family left that I know of outside nursing homes, became a model for Jiraiya's company about a month and a half prior to this date after quitting her job as a waitress, rosette hair, green eyes, approximately one hundred pounds, five-foot-five and come to claim my head in the name of her deceased brother." He briefly wondered if that would be enough for the man. He didn't want to have to go searching for her GPA, favorite animals and foods or any other personal information that was pointless. All he knew of her was what her brother had told him and what he learned of her last night...and maybe some stuff he had already looked up in her records just to check her credentials. Call him nosey, but he preferred the word _curious_.

"That's original..." Genma shook his head. "The vengeful woman here to sever your head. Has anyone told her she'll have to wait in line?" Kakashi kept quiet. In truth, he couldn't help but feeling he truly was part of Akira's death; he couldn't blame Sakura for taking action upon her brothers death. Genma had halted all investigations by the local inspectors in her old town when he sent a report explaining the situation; that he had it all under control. She must have thought the world had turned its back upon her and Akira's memory.

He had been the one to suggest sending him into Orochimaru's clutches as part of their plan. Akira was reliable, strong-willed, logical and needed money badly. Kakashi and his team needed a dependable no-name bug to send into Orochimaru's ring. Akira fit the bill and was quite qualified...just not enough, not as much as what they had hoped.

So, _yes_, he'd definitely played a key role in sending him to his doom, if not completely being his fault. That was the second man he had lost due to his own ill-advised actions to this mission and guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders. Kakashi couldn't let something like that happen again.

"I want her shipped off, Genma. It's too dangerous for her here. I was the closest to Akira out of all the men, so naturally he requested that if anything were to happen to him I'd find his sister and explain everything that had taken place after the bust was over. I..." He took a breath. "I agreed and told him I'd watch out for her since there was no one left but himself. He's gone now. I was originally going to wait until Orochimaru was in custody before I sought her out, but she's done made a move. If I let her stay then I'd be failing my job."

"I respect that, Hatake." He affirmed. "But, I don't think it would matter if we kept her in the business or kicked out at this point. She's already made her presence known to the media and has already tugged Orochimaru out of his hole. If we take her out of the game now, after he's shown his face, it would look suspicious. Besides, I'm guessing he's got plans for her by this point and time. He knows _someone_ sent Akira into his ring to help bring it down. Now he just needs to find out _who_ that person is." Genma continued to explain. "Coincidence that someone with the same last name and same green eyes of a hired sneak shows up on his scene a month after the attempted bust? I think not.

"Her brother's name caught his attention, so now he's got her in his sights. He knows it's impossible for her to know he's the true killer; since we know he's never personally carried out a dirty deed in his career, but rather putting the blood of his victims on the mens hands he orders to execute the task. But to be safe, he'll suck her in using one of his pawns, then play on her emotions. Telling her he knew her brother very well before his death and testing her limits to ensure she's not with the enemy as her brother had been. And, if he gets close enough, he'll enquire as to who could have possibly murdered Akira and offer his own assistance in her crusade of revenge...

"It'll be too tempting for her to resist. Another man who knew her brother as well as emotionally suffering from his death like she had suffered, freely offering his help. And by giving him the name of Akira's secret cohorts–or in her eyes, murderers; us, namely you–then he'll bring down the entire operation. It's obvious Akira had leaked some information to her at some point and time or else she wouldn't have sought you out specifically. And she's gotten it jumbled up in her head somehow that you're the criminal, she knows enough to realize you're in on the game. If she tells Orochimaru your name, then we're fucked." He paused. "We're going to keep her where she's at, where we can keep a healthy eye on her and her activities."

"No," He narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going to use her like we used her brother."

"We're not using her, Kakashi." He explained. "I just want you to make sure she stays on the market. The girl has already done in one month what you and the other men have failed to do in six. She's given us the first public appearance by Orochimaru. If we keep her here, she might be able to give us more. She won't have to know what's going down if we don't tell her. And, in effect, that will keep her obsessed with killing you and close to _your_ side. If she ever finds out it was Orochimaru and his men who murdered Akira, then we would have a real problem on our hands. She wouldn't last one day out there trying to kill him. He's got too many men that we don't even know about."

Kakashi frowned, knowing he was right and at the same time wrong. Right for wanting keeping her in the eye of the media; to watch over her. And wrong for that same reason; keeping her there and placing her in the path of danger. "What about the _other_ agent we sent in?" He asked quietly, referring to the young man Kakashi himself had advised to place on the job months before he had even considered sending in Akira. His judgement had obviously been wrong on both accounts. Very, _very_ wrong. "We lost touch with him four months ago, one week after I convinced Kimimaro he'd be of good use to Orochimaru and we got him into the ring. Then he just...disappeared."

Genma lowered his head fractionally. "There's still no word. I know you personally trained him, but like you've said; situations like these come with the job. He knew the risks and you thought he was ready." He let out a deep breath. "You do know we are currently suspecting him as either dead, although there has been no signs of a body. Or..." He gauged Kakashi's expressions. "Or he's betrayed us." He hated to say it, especially about one of Kakashi's own. But it was probable, that boy always had been a shifty one. Especially if any evidence of a body had yet to be found. Then again, there was no clues that pointed to foul play either. Every option was still left behind a screen door to uncover. "If we see him on the field still alive, after all this time without contact–then he is now our enemy as well. And a wanted man."

Kakashi nodded.

"And you do know what you will have to do if you see him?" _Take his young, possibly dead, partner into custody. _

He nodded again. "I can't help but find it unlikely he's betrayed us. Otherwise, our information would be out in the open if he's spilled it all. Orochimaru would already know our game and made his move...unless he's just toying with us."

"That's always a possibility. He's a sick breed of man. But, if we leave Sakura in it may help us all that much more to drag him out of his hole in the ground. Even if he is playing with us, it will give us a chance to learn more and maybe even make a move of our own."

"I still don't like it." He disagreed again. "I think we should just lock her up somewhere until it's all said and done. Jesus! She wants to _kill_ me, Genma. Have ever thought that she might actually succeed?"

Genma smiled. "Don't tell me a man on my force is afraid of a lightweight little girl? I thought you could handle yourself better than that."

Easy for him to say...he hadn't seen what she could do with a coffee can.

"I'm sending a two other undercover officers in with you this week. I need you to make sure they get boosted into the positions they need to be in without a lot of hassle and commotion."

"More? Don't you think we have enough men on the field as it is?"

"Women." Genma corrected. "One of them being my wife."

"Shizune? How are you going to squeeze her into all this? She's just a office investigator."

"Exactly. The blonde woman who's managing Haruno, Sakura needs a new secretary/assistant. My wife is perfect for the job, you'll hire her and assign her to Tsunade. Shizune does digging in areas others may not even think twice about looking into. If she wanted to, she could discover personal qualities about an individual that aren't even achieved in files." He said, sounding rather proud of the woman.

"And the other?"

"Yamanaka, Ino."

His chest jerked with a laugh that he only put half an effort into."The fiery young blonde girl? Are you crazy, she's barely twenty years old and fresh from the academy."

"Yes, but that's what we need from her; youth and beauty. She's spent time being personally trained under Asuma himself, which is a bonus. And sending her out there like this will give her great field experience."

"Experience? She doesn't even have any."

"Maybe." Genma shrugged. "But Asuma himself suggested her and I trust his word. She's had more than enough simulation hours to prepare her for the job."

Simulation didn't mean shit in the field, he thought. "What's her speciality and jurisdiction? I don't recall ever hearing what she attended the academy for."

He smirked. "Bodyguard."

"Oh, no..." Lord, he saw exactly where this situation was heading for. Disaster. "Genma, I've met both of these women, however brief it may have been, I have a decent understanding of their personalities...have you ever thought about what putting two clashing women together may produce?" Consequences equal to seismic proportions...would be putting it lightly.

"It doesn't matter. Ino is a protector now, she will learn to follow orders and get along with her clients without argument."

"And just how are you going to weave her into all this?" Kakashi ventured to take the subject further.

He smirked again. "Sakura seems lonely up there at the top of Jiraiya's fashion industry. She's going to need some competition So, you're going to place Ino as another apprentice to Tsunade. That way we'll be able to keep both women at arms length of our leading lady."

"You don't think I'm capable enough to watch out for the girl, is that it?" He said, feeling slightly irritated.

"Down, boy. Like I said, you're not her personal protector-no matter what your opinion on the subject may be or the promises you made to her brother. You're the undercover detective, you're supposed to be after the bad guy and at the same time _be_ the villain. Let Ino and Shizune work with her and everything will run perfectly. Besides, you won't always be able to be there to watch over her, did you think about that? Ino will do what you cannot; guard Sakura with her life."

"I have no objections with using my life to protect her."

"I have no doubt," Oh, if Kakashi could only see the look on his own face. Why so defensive, Hatake? Feeling inadequate as a man, perhaps? "_But_ you can't be two places at once. You would have to choose between either abandoning your duties to stay by her side or playing vice president...and well, you certainly can't abandon your highly important job of roleplaying for the girl."

Kakashi let out a breath. "And what about the times when Ino and Shizune can't be there? You can't expect them to be with her every second of every day."

"Well, there is _one_ way you could watch over her part of the time without clashing your main objective. "

"That would be?"

"Take her out to eat, go see a few movies, invite her up to your apartment ever once in a while..." He raised his eyebrows.

"You're sick."

"Oh? According to Asuma you had quite a nice time enjoying her company last night at the ice cream shop...and then following her up to her apartment..." Genma let his voice trail off.

"She's clueless as to what she trying to do to me and what she's getting herself into. Eighteen year old girls shouldn't have murder and vengeance on their brains. I was trying to scare her away. "

"And how did that work out for you?"

"Take a guess."

"I see. So, first you harass her into flight, but you fail. And now, since I won't let you get rid of her, you don't want her out of your sights. But that won't work either because you've scared the poor thing with your bad behavior." He _tsk_ed. "I doubt she wants anything to do with you outside any violent or murderous acts."

"How's Jiraiya doing?" Kakashi quickly changed the subject. He was a grown man, he shouldn't be subject to such ridiculousness.

Genma laughed at his evasion. "He's fine. Still running the company for you behind the scenes, and still chomping at the bit to strangle your neck with the way your handling his company."

He chuckled. "I'm grateful for his help," He said. "I don't think it would be possible for me to run a company like this all by my blasted self. You can't help but feel sorry for the old man, some of his own employees stabbing him in the back like that. Snaking into his business and snatching up any model that's easy enough to snag with the simplest of baits."

"It's just Kimimaro and Kabuto stabbing him in the back. No real loss there. The models, on the other hand, is a shame." He sighed. "What about Tsunade? Is she catching on yet?"

"Not that I can tell. She's extremely sharp and as whiley as a fox–it wouldn't surprise me if she already knew and is keeping it to herself. If so, I doubt she'd give us any trouble as long as we keep Jiraiya safe." Kakashi stood, straightening his coat. "Which would be bad news. If I'm clear enough for her to read, then God only knows who else might find me out. I'm getting sloppy out there."

"Just get your act together and make sure the Haruno girl doesn't realize what your true purpose as vice president is. And remember, you're the _detective_. _Not_ the bodyguard." Much to his displeasure, he was being ignored. "Your job is to get into Orochimaru's drug ring for now."

"I'll do my best."

Genma checked his watch again and looked back up to Kakashi. "Sorry to make the briefing so...brief. But, I've got a previous engagement."

"Is there anything else you'd like to share before you kick me out?" He smiled.

"Make sure to get Ino and Shizune into your employment and working with Tsunade sometime soon, preferably today. The sooner the better."

"Will do. I'm assuming Asuma's on standby to hook me up?" He said, Genma nodded in affirmation. "What about Kimimaro? He's going to be at a business dinner tonight, it will give me another chance to get in closer. Is there any specific orders you'd like me to carry out?"

Genma paused for a moment. "Don't push the drug subject too much with him. And keep conversation with him to a minimum, if you continue to hag on him the same subjects then he'll start to catch on. He still bristles around you, so it's obvious that you're not in his good graces at this point. "

"Do you think that has anything to do with the agent I sent him four months ago?"

"The agent _we_ sent him, Kakashi. We. You may have been the one who suggested the kid to him. But we all agreed he was ready. It was a group decision. The same goes for Akira, you're not the only one to blame for either of their outcomes."

He didn't reply.

"Alright," Genma sighed in defeat. If that's the way he wanted it... "Get out of here before you're any later than you already are. I'll see you next week." Nothing more was said as Kakashi left the room.

When he exited the building, it was his first priority to call Asuma and get the lowdown on the new agents Genma had given him...and ask him what the hell he was thinking when he blabbed to Genma about Sakura. Once inside his car, Kakashi picked up his phone and hit the speed dial and waited for the ringing to end. It took but moments.

"_Hello?_" The man's gruff, smokers voice answered.

"I never took you for a snitch, Sarutobi." He cut straight to the point. No sense in beating around the bush.

"_I'm just doin' my job._" Well, he sounded rather pleased with himself...the big, fat, tattle-tale. Kakashi could easily imagine a cocky smirk on the man's face. He always did get a good laugh out of pissing him off. "_I had to tell Genma about the girl and, of course, your little date."_ And this was the only excuse he was willing to give? Whatever happened to professionalism?

"And that I was enjoying myself 'a little too much?'" He growled. "I remember Genma saying something like that. I may mix business with pleasure at times but I don't remember ever–"

"_I don't know what you're talking about._" He cut him off curtly.

"No, of course not." He held onto the urge to take a few steps back in maturity and start name-calling at the man. At some point, he had forgotten the 'big, fat, tattle-tale' that had already slipped in there somewhere.

"_Well, I was watching you at that shop...you did look thoroughly pleased to have your arms around her. Then again, who wouldn't. She is a cute little lass, ne?_"

"That has nothing to do with this, Asuma. You should have realized I didn't want Genma to know about her. If you would have kept quiet, then I might have been able to get her out of this. You've known me long enough–"

"_...and then there was her apartment, I would like to have seen what went on up there._" His voice was suggestive.

"Asuma," Kakashi growled. "Do you really have nothing better to do?"

"_Let me see,_" He started. "_Sitting in a car all day following people around, eating donuts and smoking cigarettes...no, I don't believe I do._"

"Then think about something else, like going on a diet." But before Asuma could reply to that, Kakashi quickly changed the subject. "Where are you at now?"

"_Genma transferred me. I'm no longer your shadow, I'm currently watching the girls apartment and I'm to do so until further noticed or until she leaves._"

"If you've got the girl, then who's watching my back? Kurenai? Gai?"

"_No, she's on vacation and Gai's working on another case._" Asuma said. "_As it stands...no one. You're goin' solo from here on out._"

"Wonderful."

"_Ain't it?_" Asuma laughed. "_I suppose Genma already told you about Ino?_"

"Yes, and I'd like to know what possessed you to even consider her for this job."

"_She's my little protege. I have complete faith in her no matter how little experience she may or may not have._ _Besides, they're both young women–they'll get along just fine talking to one another about...whatever it is girls their age talk about."_

"Never have too much faith, Asuma. If you believe or even think for one moment they're capable, then think again. Things are bound to go wrong...I learned that the hard way." His voice was quiet.

"_Kakashi, it wasn't your fault what happened with Sas–_"

"How do I get in touch with Shizune and Ino?" He stopped him from saying anything more.

Asuma paused, then continued. "_You only have to tell me what message to convey. Then I'll contact Shizune and she'll pass on the information to Ino._"

"Fine, tell them to be at my office at the corporation in one hour. I'll call Tsunade and have her waiting there for them. I'll bring Sakura in myself."

"_Sure thing._"

"And Asuma,"

"_Yeah?_"

"Don't let the girl out of your sights."

------

Now, Sakura, being a girl of sound mind and body, had never been in love. Sure, she liked to think the fantasy of love existed and that maybe someday she'd be lucky enough to find that_ one _special man to make her feel complete. What girl didn't dream of finding Mr. Right? Settling down, having children and growing old together. She had loved her family and been loved in return. But never _in_ love...that is, until today.

She had been in her apartment, prepared to leave in a short matter of time to meet Tsunade for a photo shoot. But now, staring at his face in the doorway, she was glad she decided to wait a few more minutes to eat breakfast before leaving lest he would have missed her by mere moments.

It was a bowl of cereal she was finishing off when she heard someone sounding at the knocker. And she felt those cocoa puffs stirring in her stomach as she stared into his eyes.

She opened the door and there he was. Tall, dark and handsome. _Really_ handsome. Drop-dead gorgeous handsome. Heart throbbing, jaw dropping, skin tingly...absolutely, beautifully handsome. Thin and thick in all the right places, deeply tanned skin, jet black hair, chiseled features to the extreme and the darkest eyes she had ever seen.

Instantly she was head over heels. Feeling like a doe caught in the headlights of his gaze.

"C-can I help you?" She immediately smiled up at him. Sounding sweet and adorable. Making sure to add an extra bat of her lashes.

"Ms. Haruno?" He asked mildly. Her name, his voice, on his lips. She nearly fainted. Okay, so it was just her last name...it still counted.

"Yes?" She attempted to make her smile broaden. She failed, it was already too wide.

"I'm Uchiha, Sasuke. I'm here on behalf of my employer." He waited a few more moments for her to reply, but all she did was stare at him. "Do you...mind if I come in and have a word with you?"

"Oh!" She blushed, forgetting herself. "Of course not, come on in." She stepped back and allowed him entry. "Would you like something to drink? I'm...out of coffee at the moment, but I'm sure I can find something else for you." She nodded her head reassuringly, but her heart nearly sank as he returned the nod in a polite decline. She would have at least liked to get him something to make himself more comfortable.

"No, thank you."

She turned on her heel nervously to lead him out of the short entrance hall and into another area more appropriate for chat. "So, who do you work for?"

"It may seem ilmannered of me, but I'll leave his name as unsaid for the moment. At least until I am through discussing my business here and we have arranged a meeting between the two of you. However, he is a very well renowned man in the fashion industry. So there is no need to worry about his reputation or credibility." He followed her into her entertainment room and took a seat on her furnished couch. "In fact, your current employer suggested you for his business."

"Kakashi?" Her mouth almost gaped open. She knew the man wanted her off his line, but really. Trying to push her into another mans hands...was he that desperate to be rid of her? "He told your boss to hire _me_?" Why else would he do that unless he knew she was here to kill him? Well, he would have to do better than this to boot her out. He wouldn't get rid of her so easily.

"Yes,"

"W-why?" Her expression went from complete adoration of this man to complete puzzlement of the situation. "I...I mean what for? I talked to him just last night and I assumed he agreed to keep me on until I've finished modeling for Wang."

"Apparently, Hatake believes you'd be much better off working us. He may not wish to hold you back if his company is preventing you from truly spreading your wings."

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe." She almost rolled her eyes. As far as she knew, Kakashi hated her. And as far as she cared, the feeling was mutual. But she was going to stay in his employment where she needed to be to exact her revenge and suck information out of him. Even if he wanted to terminate her. Tsunade was still on her side of the good fight, she wouldn't go down so easily. No matter how tempted she was to take up the offer given to her by this new acquaintance, she couldn't accept his proposal for that would be straying from her real purpose.

"He is a very prestigious man, as is my employer. Perhaps you would like some time to decide?" She didn't know what it was about him, but when he looked into her eyes she felt her knees go weak. His eyes were so...empty. As blank as the mask of his face like he was trying to hide something. But, what was he trying to hide from her? Well, she didn't mind. She could stare, drooling, at his face all day without a complaint or a care in the world.

"Um, what exactly does your boss do?" She asked, once again feeling half tempted to take up his offer simply by looking into his mesmerizing eyes. No matter if she didn't know a single thing about this Sasuke or his mysterious employer. But if she started working for someone new, that would take her further away from her goal. Away from Kakashi. And right now, where she needed to be most of all, was by his side. Whether he liked it or not.

"He's in...trade and exchange of specialized goods." He said almost hesitatingly. "But owns several booming modeling conglomerates around the globe."

"Oh?" She said with intrigue. "What kind of goods?" She crossed her legs and let her facade speak loud enough that her interest was peaked.

As Sasuke opened his mouth to form the words, another knock sounded at the door. Sakura cursed under her breath. Whoever it was had bad timing.

She tossed him an apologetic smile and stood as she said, "Excuse me for a moment." He gave a short simple nod of comprehension as she left the room. Grumbling like a child having her attention stolen away from her favorite toy–said toy being a good-looking man sitting on her couch.

When she opened the door she felt her heart drop again. But for a decidedly different and unwelcome reason.

"Good morning, princess." Kakashi lent her his best lopsided, displaced smile. The hem of his shirt in dire need of ironing and his hair in an awful mess. Nearly obstructing the line of vision in his left eye...but then again, he didn't need to worry about that, did he?

"Not you." She groaned miserably and immediately let her eyes sink to the floor, unable to keep the contact. Her cheeks turning a touch pink just knowing he, the cold blooded killer of her brother, had seen parts of her he shouldn't have without permission. And knowing she had been stupid and gullible enough to fall for something so obvious, it was embarrassing. What did he want now, had he come to humiliate her again? Well, she wasn't going to let that happen. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Sakura had no intentions of shaming herself this time around. "Go away." She flapped her hands at him, trying to shoo him away. She just wanted to shoot him and be done with it. If only...

"You wound me with your spiteful words," She stuck her tongue out at him with a less than threatening snarl. "Now, now," He clicked his tongue. "Is that any way to treat the man you love?"

"Ew," Sakura coiled back. "Why are you here, anyways?"

"I want to take you to the corporation this morning to meet some new people."

"I can't, I'm meeting Tsunade this morning." She said, both pleased and disappointed. Pleased because she didn't have to spend time with him, but disappointed when realizing she _had_ to spend time with him. To get close to this man and fool him with her charms, though she still had some work to do on the charming part of her scheme. "Why? Who is it?"

"It's a surprise." There was that smirk again...he was up to something.

She let her eyes narrow in on him. "_Who?_" She asked again more firmly.

"I got you some playmates, is all." He took a step inside, unwelcomed, and shut the door behind him. "I wouldn't want my best girl getting lonely–"

Sakura quickly stepped forward, blocking his path and placing her hand on his chest. Feeling a surge of anger through her veins. "_Your_ girl?" The flattened surface of her palm tried to push him back to the threshold with little success. Her jaw clenching at such a one-sided proclamation. "I don't recall being owned by anyone. And I _don't_ need playmates. I'm _not _a pet and I'm _not_ a doll for you to strip down whenever you please–with or without me realizing it." When he still wouldn't move she pushed even harder. "I want you to understand something else," She glared at that aloof expression on his face. "I don't want you anywhere near my apartment from here on out, _ever_, do you unersta-ah!"

As unexpected and faster than she could have ever evaded, Kakashi wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her against him as he took a side step in reverse. Pressing his back against the inside of the doorframe to lean casually into the hard wood of her closed door, nearly sending her head first into the wall if he hadn't pulled her to his chest.

Sakura growled in frustration, she didn't want to put up with this(again) when another guest was left in her living room unattended. "_Your_ apartment?" He mocked her, yet kept his voice at calmer, smoother pitch. Sounding deep and low and composed. Watching her eyes spark with fury in the dark light of the tiny entry hall as his hand made contact with her lower back, keeping her locked to him despite her struggles. "I don't recall this apartment being owned or payed for by anyone but myself."

"Let. Me. Go." Her eyes were vicious as she put a halt to her own pathetic fight, abandoning the idea of wrenching free with force and instead glared at him maliciously to warn him away. "Now." If Sasuke walked in on her like this, he would think she was awful and rude and terrible. And probably get the wrong idea...the idea that she was fooling around with her boss. She didn't want him to think poorly of her, she had even thought about asking him out to a movie before he left, even though they had just met. It was worth a shot...relationships couldn't start without an offer of a date.

"I don't think so." With her fighting spirit momentarily doused, he let his hand slip lower. Allowing his palm and finger pads to feather across the peak of her rear. Sakura immediately froze. All her breathing stopped as each brain signal told her to smack him and bring her knee up into his crotch. But she resisted the urge, if she made too much commotion Sasuke would intrude and wonder what was happening. Or why she had abused her employer, which would lead to him thinking her a violent person; albeit whether she _is_ or _isn't_ would be straying from the point.

Sasuke clearly thought highly of Kakashi from what he had already spoke of the man and if he was curious enough to want an explanation for the reasoning behind her defensive behavior, she'd be too embarrassed to claim her employer was becoming too friendly. It was a disaster waiting to happen and she didn't have the patience to deal with it.

"Don't," She put her hands on his shoulders and gently protested, but to no avail. "Please, keep your hands to yourself."

"I want you to understand something else," He mimicked and placed a hand on her shoulder as well, continuing with his mockery of her own declarations that she had spilt on him. Their eyes locked when his palm started slipping lower, past her collarbone, silently sliding over the soft material of her blouse. "I'm not a doll for you to fondle whenever you desire." He said. She studied his eyes, his left unable to match the depth of the functional right. One blindly solid with the other pupil a little dim with age, slightly worn down by time. The faint traces of a scar birthing at his pale brow, over his lid and tainting the soft flesh beneath his lashes. Heavy lids and a few naturally blended sun lines. He looked so...tired.

"What do you mean?" Her lips formed into a confused pout.

"You caressed my chest without permission," He explained. "It's fair I get to caress yours in return." Her heart suddenly began a painful staccato of loud thumps against her ribs. It didn't make sense why that happened every time he lowered his voice an octave. It also didn't excuse his behavior.

"I...I..." She tried to speak, to make it clear she had pushed his chest, not caressed. That she just wanted him to go away for now so she could talk to Sasuke. That she wished he hadn't murdered her brother. That she wished that look in his eye didn't effect her so acutely. "Kakashi, stop..." She swallowed when she felt an odd knot at the pit of her stomach. She blamed it on mind-crippling disgust. It was the only logical reasoning behind her pitiful reaction. If she truly hated him for his murderous actions upon her family, then shouldn't she push away? Or would that be failing her purpose to get under his skin? The whole thing was utterly confounding.

Sakura let out a shaky breath as his hand slowly curved to the side, his palm molding to the edge of her round breast. The fabric of her blouse and thin padding of her brazier doing little to muffle his touch.

"I really don't think you want me to, do you?" She didn't reply. His face was near to expressionless as he looked down on her. Rarely blinking and hardly seeming to care one way or the other at her hitched breathing. Was he teasing her again? Was he doing this for his own sick, twisted desire?

Sakura wasn't sure how or why, but she was able to repress a moan that had worked into her throat. A moan she didn't even know for what purpose it had been produced in the first place or from what source. But as his hand moved again, she did whimper. The fingers on her derriere contracted simultaneously with the hand on her chest as his palm fully engulfed the breast. Cupping and conforming its softness to his palm; stealing her breath. His thumb playing with the hem of her blouse, giving it a petulant tug to test the strength of the buttons and how long they might endure.

Her jaw felt lax as she began to unconsciously lean into him.

That is, until he stopped. "You have someone here?" He looked over her head, his eyes scanning the area behind her as if his sixth sense had detected something ominous.

Sakura blinked once. Twice. Realized what kind of position she had let herself slip into again and nearly screamed in anger. Her face turned red as she felt an urge to cry out in desperation.

Then, as if he had been listening behind a screen waiting for his cue, Sasuke quietly called, "Sakura?" She jerked her head around in time to see him step out from the well-lit entertainment room and into her line of view.

"Sasuke!" She promptly pushed away from Kakashi, swatting his hands away from her body; detaching his palm from her breast and twisting her rump out of reach of his fingers. "Oh, uh...I'm sorry, this isn't what it may look like." She laughed nervously, letting all thoughts of asking the young man out on a date fly out the window. She glanced over once, just in time to notice Kakashi stiffen for only a second before relaxing into his calm posture once more. So quick she doubted that brief attempted straightening of his spine even happened.

She sighed as she rubbed her temple, this was down right embarrassing. Just something she could add onto her list of reasons why she hated Hatake, Kakashi. "Um, you already know Kakashi." She swallowed and motioned to the man.

"Hatake," Sasuke nodded. "Long time, no see."

"Four months." He said curtly.

Sakura looked from one man to the other feeling mildly uncomfortable. And she couldn't help noticing the stark differences between them. Sasuke was slim and held a boyish glow around his grim face. Looking not much affected or indifferent from when he had first entered her apartment. His sardonically blank expression still branded on his handsome features. His eyes sharp and calculating.

And Kakashi, taller and thicker and all man; every sign of youth gone and replaced with a look of supine maturity. Appearing seriously detached as if boredom would set in at any moment. His eyes opposing Sasuke's, seemingly unawares, heedless and barely awake. But through all the calm and the quiet, she felt the static on her skin as sparks flew.

There was an awkward silence that followed. Each of them watching every breath the other took, a sense of unease settling over them. Both men seemed on edge, despite their relaxed postures. There was nothing but leashed energy in the air.

Kakashi let his eyes stray for a moment to measure him up, and Sasuke took a step forward, a dark figure appearing even darker in the poor lighting of her entry hall. The quick slide of his foot on the floor echoing in the small room, alerting her with a quick jolt.

And Sakura watched from the corner of her eye as Kakashi's hand smoothly moved the overcoat of his suit to the side. His fingers set in a long ingrained pose as if he had been reaching for something in particular that he had expected to be on his belt...as if he had expected to grab a gun.

Sakura blanched.

Still watching as Kakashi swiftly covered his mistake and relaxed his fingers. Bringing up his other hand in one deceptively suave motion, sticking both hands into his pocket as if it had been his only lone intention.

The air around her newest acquaintance, Sasuke, seemed to get a little colder.

"I see I'm interrupting something," Sasuke said, visibly relaxing but his voice still holding some tension.

"Likewise," Kakashi tilted his head back fractionally, taking on an air of formality.

Kakashi's charcoal eyes followed Sasuke's hand as he reached into his pocket to pull out a white piece of printed paper.

"My card," The young man took a few steps forward and handed the stiff paper to Sakura.

"Oh," She reached out with nervous hands to take the proffered calling card, blushing as her fingers brushed his. "Thank you."

"Call me whenever you get a chance," He met her gaze, holding it for seconds before he said, "I must be going now."

"You're leaving?" Her mouth unintentionally formed into a pout. "So soon?"

He nodded. She took mental note at how his lusciously dark hair seemed to sift around his face with that simple action.

"But, we barely had time to chat–"

"Sakura," Kakashi interrupted. "The man needs to be on his way." She glared at him, making it perfectly obvious she wanted him to shut his mouth.

Her glare quickly turned into a coy smile as she faced Sasuke once more, clearing her throat loudly to pick up from whence she had left off. "I wish we could have had more time to talk." She expressed her sympathy on the situation. "I will call you whenever I have an opportunity." More like she'd _make_ an opening in her schedule just for his phone call.

"I have no doubt," Something of a forced smile touched the corner of his lip. It looked so fake, so military, so exerted and so completely _displaced_ that she nearly asked him to remove it. He gave a look to Kakashi, who was blocking his path, as he turned to the door.

Kakashi only took a single step to the side, leaving just enough room for Sasuke to pass; reaching back to open the door for him.

The younger man scoffed as he walked the few paces to the door, purposefully brushing Kakashi's shoulder in the act. Neither of them gave so much as a glance back as he walked out, shutting the door behind him.

Kakashi nearly cursed aloud. Asuma was supposed to be watching her, _and_ everyone who entered the complex. The man was failing his job if he let Sasuke slip in–he knew as well as anyone what position the boy had just put himself in by showing his face in public.

_Uchiha, Sasuke_...why was he not surprised to find him here? At her apartment...still alive.

Anger boiled inside, setting his blood steaming out of his pores the moment he had seen his face step from the morning light of her living room.

His disappearance four months ago had been hard enough to deal with. Hard for the entire department, the kid had so much potential. But now...

Betrayed. He would have rather the brat be dead; all the better of fates compared to a snake. Kakashi had been stabbed in the back. And he was torn. Torn between too many choices. Take the kid in, essentially arresting his partner, and in doing so blow his cover to Sakura; which was not an option. Or let him go.

Kakashi had let him go. He knew he'd pay for that action at some later, more compromising date.

Sasuke had taken to the dark side. He was now with the most notorious underground drug lord; Orochimaru.

Had Sasuke already ratted them out? What was his ploy in all this. What was he trying to achieve? The kid never had been greedy for money, so it was unlikely Orochimaru had bribed him with wealth. And Sasuke would never get himself stuck on narcotics. Where was he intending to move himself next? And why?

If Genma found out about this...

"It's not polite to stare," He pointed out. His eyes examining a trinket set randomly on the small catch-all shelf beside her door.

"Neither is chasing away my guests." She crossed her arms, tucking Sasuke's card in the back of her denim skirt pocket.

"I am a guest."

"An unwelcome one, at that." She turned on her heel to clean her table of the small breakfast she had been munching on before Sasuke had come. "Why did you do that?" She snapped over her shoulder.

"Do what?"

"Why did you treat Sasuke so curtly? He had nothing more than good words to say about you when he was here."

"So you were talking about me?"

She blushed. "Not in the way you might imagine." He stood in the small arch of her kitchen entrance as she picked up the bowl of milk and box of cocoa puffs from her table top. Looking at her much the same way he had last night, curse him.

"What did he want?"

"That's none of your business." She set the bowl in the sink and the box into a cabinet.

"Let me guess," He paused. "He wants you to work for an acquaintance of his. Someone very wealthy and famous, am I wrong?"

She ground her teeth, remembering _he_ was the one who suggested her to Sasuke's boss in the first place. Really, she could be so foolish sometimes. "You should know," She bit, trying to find the reason as to why her senses felt so scrambled whenever he was near. She had to learn to be more composed if she ever planned to complete her plot of revenge. "You're the one who told him to hire me, whoever _he_ is."

"I did?" His brow quirked.

"Yes," She sighed, adding a little bit of a growl to the noise. "You're _real_ true to word, you know. Agreeing to let me stay at Jiraiya's for another week," Her hand slammed the cabinet door. "Then going behind my back to auction me off to the first man who offers."

"Ah," He released the quirk from his brows when he finally, fully, comprehended the situation. "I see."

"Only a black-hearted scoundrel would make a deal like that without my consent." Her hands busied themselves with rinsing the round dish and spoon before putting them into the titanium-plated dish washer.

"You're right." Kakashi agreed.

She blinked once, she had been expecting him to come up with some off the sleeve retort to that. Well, at least he was actually being honest with himself.

"I'm a terrible, mean-spirited, sharped-toothed excuse of a man," He gave a chic, debonaire smile. "Do you forgive me?"

"What do you think?" She said, as if the thought of forgiving him wretched and offended her to the extreme.

"Yes, well, you have my sincere word that you will not be sold to the highest bidder and sent away like some slave child." He twisted his mouth a little.

Sakura wanted to smack him a thousand more times. How dare he be so impudent to her. To strip her of her clothes and make fun of her. To offer and retract promises to let her remain a model in his company. To come to her place, no matter if he owned it or not, and fondle her up and down while Sasuke sat unawares in the other room. Really, the man could _not_ keep his hands to himself.

She made a mental note to actually start using some of that chunk of money she had earned in the last month to invest in her own personal apartment. One that didn't belong to Kakashi, one that he wouldn't be capable of finding; back in the farthest reaches of the city.

With her chin raised a inch, she looked down at him from the length of her upturned nose. Snuffing like some higher-creature from the heavens. "I'm leaving now," She warned. "I suggest you do the same before I lock you in and tell the cops there's a thief in my home." She grabbed her Gucci purse from the table, clicking the heel of her open-toed sandals.

He chuckled at that.

"You mean, _we_ are leaving?" He asked as she walked past him, her purse on her arm, the curls she had put in her hair bobbing at the bottom.

"_I,_" She restated. "As in singular. Alone. Exclusively. Without you."

"And where, pray tell, are you planning to go?" He jaunted.

"I'm meeting Tsunade." Was all she supplied.

"Then we can go together."

"You can't, I'm going to a photo shoot." She spun around, snarling at him as she protested. "You'll ruin my visage just being in the same room. Please, I have a reputation to keep. After all, you've somehow succeeded in remaining out of the lime light. No one will know who you are. The only thing that will be running through anyone's minds would be; what is that horridly dressed man doing with that beautiful woman?"

"Cruel little thing, aren't ya?" He frowned.

"Takes one to know one." Now, that was just down right childish.

"Tsunade's in my office as we speak, you won't find her at your shoot." He informed with a smile touching on arrogance.

"Then I'll just have to go by myself." She turned around again, hoping to leave his presence.

"I canceled it."

"You _didn't_." She stopped with her hand on the doorknob, refusing to face him. When he didn't respond, affirming the rhetorical question with his silence, she let out a throaty scream of fury. "No, no, no _NO_." Her feet stomped the hard wood floor rapidly. She had actually been looking forward to the shoot. Why did he continue to torture her? How could any one person take so much pleasure at seeing others suffer?

She looked to the ceiling, as if calling to the heavens for help, asking her brother to give her patience and time and strength. And to show her the way. So, taking one, deep, calming breath, she closed her eyes and thought over the negatives and positives of this ordeal.

Negative: simply having to put up with the man and his wandering hands.

Positive: she could use the time to her advantage, perhaps try to get a little closer to him(which, if she continued this display immature behavior, she'd loose the opportunity soon.)

Negative: his blatant disregard for apparel was atrocious, she glanced over her shoulder to look him up and down. Really, did he not know what the dry-cleaners were? Even when she had been dirt poor no more than a month ago, her clothes never looked that wrinkled.

Positive: ...there were no more positives.

The score was two to one in negatives favor. But either way, she didn't seem to have much of a choice in the matter.

She swallowed, steeled her nerves and took a deep breath.

Then, in the blink of an eye, her disposition changed from mortification to chipper pleasantries as quick as the turning tides. Smiling at him and clutching at her purse handle as she attempted to dazzle him with her pearly whites. "Shall we go?" She said, adding sugar in her tone.

"That's a good girl," He grinned at her forced mood swing. "You're a quick learner." He praised her obedience.

"Hm?" She hummed charmingly, pretending she hadn't heard him at all. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening."

"Your loss," He shrugged, letting her know he wasn't the fool to fall into her trap and took her elbow as they walked out the door.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**------**

'_What is not started today is never finished tomorrow._'

-Johann Wolfgang

**------**

Sakura wouldn't admit that she was nervous as she walked through the very wide, very shiny, mahogany doors of Kakashi's large office. Her stomach wasn't in knots, her skin didn't feel hot, nor was she getting strong urges to bite her nails. So far she had survived two encounters with a murderer/crime boss(who infuriated her to no ends) so why should she be worried over a couple new coworkers?

On the not so pleasant drive to the company building, he had told her she would be meeting a woman named Shizune, a younger woman(in her late twenties, she supposed) who had been hired as a new assistant for Tsunade. Sakura had to support Kakashi on that decision, the blonde was about as organized as a trash can. Hiring someone who was systematic enough to keep Tsunade in order was a wise idea, indeed, and had agreed to the suggestion with much enthusiasm.

He'd briefly mentioned that he hadn't canceled her photo shoot for the day, merely postponed it for the duration of their little field trip to the company. She'd been all at once relieved and a little ecstatic. Nothing was better than being in the center attention for an hour, the main event, the coupe de gras. Sure that sounded fairly self-centered, but to a girl like Sakura who'd been overlooked her entire life, she soaked in the treatment she received like a flower would bask in the sun. It offered her a distraction, something to divert her mind from the mess her life had once been...before she had met Tsunade. Other than her bloodthirsty need for revenge, Tsunade was the only thing she had to cling to, to idolize, adore and inspire.

But then he had told her the woman was taking on a new apprentice.

Something in her heart had sank to the floorboards of his car.

Sakura was not jealous. In any way. Or any manner.

Tsunade's attention wasn't that important to her. It never had been.

She wasn't feeling like she wasn't good enough to be the only one to work for the woman.

But most definitely, she didn't feel as though she had become attached to Tsunade in the short month they had been together, especially considering how bossy she could be. Or that she was clinging to her for support and admiration and a distance sense of family after the loss of her brother. No...not at all. It wasn't as if this newcomer would threaten that relationship between them.

Sure, Sakura's exotic beauty and out of this world gorgeous hair was the key to her fame. But without Tsunade, Sakura would still be on the streets trying desperately for the company to take her in. Tsunade was the one who saw her potential. She wouldn't know all the right moves to make on the runway, she wouldn't even have a clue how to talk with representatives that she modeled for. And she sure as hell wouldn't have found her long lost sense of fashion were it not for the lessons in trendy popular clothing Tsunade put her through.

But this new coming girl was said to be blonde, rambunctious, sassy and have the greatest pair of eyes on this side of the equator. Blue eyes, Sakura thought numbly. Just the thing to dull the jaded color of hers when they would stand next to each other and fight for the front page.

Kakashi opened the door for her and as they entered the room she saw Tsunade sitting in a chair at the head of his desk. Looking fresh and stylish in a professional blue pantsuit. A young blonde girl was propped on the corner of the mahogany wood that matched his doors and a brunette sitting in a furnished leather chair by the arched pane glass window.

Sakura swallowed at the mischievous glint in the young blondes eyes and lowered her head to stare at the floor. Suddenly feeling small and insignificant. The girl was absolutely stunning and Sakura realized she had never felt more deflated, ugly, useless, frumpy, fat or ghoulish in her life.

She had faced many grueling things in the past month. Persisting paparazzi, endless interviews, scandalous headlines and sexual accusations from the opposite sex(Kakashi Hatake, her one and only _true_ bane, included in that derogatory group.)

But there was one thing that Sakura had been and always would be dreadfully afraid of;

Beautiful women.

Despite brave fronts and displays of high confidence, every female has that deep, timid aversion to the same sex. Particularly when they happen to be gorgeous, glorious and glamified.

More often than not they were cruel, heartless, narcissistically vain, snobby and down right rude to anyone who might pose a threat to their popularity or even, heaven forbid, drawl attention away from _them_. Visions of a life in highschool resurfaced and Sakura was plummeting in a depressing downhill journey of memories. She was too skinny, people used to call her '_bones_' and claimed they could hear her rattle when she walked. Her hair color was _fake_, so said everyone but her. She was too smart or too dorky. Sickness had filled her veins the first time someone said, 'Hey, dweeb, let me copy your report.' What's worse, she had let that person copy her papers...just in hopes that they would like her and never call her a dweeb again. Needless to say, it hadn't worked.

A part of her missed her old school, albeit only a small portion of her heart. Missed her friends and teachers and the overall regularity it provided in her life. She briefly wondered if anyone in her class recognized her on the covers of their magazines or watched her on their favorite television channels. It had never occurred to her to think about how life was going about in her old town, not with all the stress she'd been putting on herself to get Kakashi under her thumb.

She groaned and tried her best to sink back into the shadow Kakashi provided. At least he was good for something.

"Running a little late, Kakashi?" Tsunade stood and broke the silence in the room, her arms crossed and her face sporting an expression that openly claimed frustration. He had called her from a pressing photo shoot(that had already been delayed due to a suspiciously late, pink headed model) to meet him at the main building of the corporation. When she had obliged, she came to an office that held one young blonde and one brunette...and no Hatake. Her gaze shifted menacingly onto Sakura who blushed under the knowing stare. Sakura shrugged helplessly in hopes to make the woman understand she had no part in this scheme. But Tsunade continued to glare at the both of them, after all, Sakura was supposed to be at the shoot Kakashi had drug Tsunade away from. And, clearly, Sakura was _not_ at that shoot.

"Yeah, heavy traffic." He said easily.

Sakura narrowed her brows and looked up at him with disbelieving eyes. He was blatantly lying to them! "The traffic wasn't–"

"Shizune! Ino!" Kakashi smiled slyly, Sakura dug her nails into her palms. "It's great to see you two here, I'm glad you could make it. I trust you had no troubles finding the place?" Sakura couldn't help but notice the glint in his eyes at that statement...the sicko. He'd probably had each woman up here twenty different times, so of course they wouldn't get lost coming here. It made her want to gag.

"Well, no..." The brunette said quietly, wringing her hands together frivolously. "But...Ino, well we...she..." Shizune glanced between the two of them, biting her lip worriedly.

"Would you just spit it out already." Ino stood and put a hand on her hip, but before the stuttering Shizune could even open her mouth for another word, Ino was on the case. "She's just upset cause I spilt hot coffee on a man outside the building." She answered for her.

"You didn't spill it, Ino," Shizune put in. "You threw it at him." Her pretty face started to turn red when Tsunade laughed out loudly.

Ino rolled her bright eyes and tossed her hair dramatically over her shoulder. Sakura watched as the golden color seemed to sparkle in the light of the sun filtering through the windows. She felt something dropping and quickly realized it was her self-esteem. The girl wasn't as thin as Sakura, but she was curved in all the right places. All the perfect places. Sakura might as well have been a stick bug standing next to a butterfly. If she were a stick, at least no one would notice her. Kakashi's shadow was looking more and more inviting by the moment.

"He deserved it!" She announced in a voice that was, to Sakura's relief, rather high pitched and irritating. Thankfully this doll wasn't completely perfect. "I saw his hand reaching for your butt, I had to do something. Did you want to be manhandled by a stranger?" Shizune turned a deeper shade of red as her eyes seemed to grow more horrified than grateful at the lengths Ino had taken to save her honor.

"Wait," Tsunade put a hand up and interrupted. "Was he a large, bald, homeless man wearing a faded green trench coat?"

"Yeah," Ino blinked, Tsunade laughed harder and Shizune just looked plain mortified.

"He sits out there every morning, security just ignores him these days. That man will not go away." She crossed her arms over her voluptuous chest and leaned a hip against the desk. "Maybe you scared him off for good, but we can only hope."

Ino harumphed. "I'd like to give him more than a lap full of hot coffee..." She let her voice trail off as her face grew dark. And then, much to Sakura's dismay, Ino's eyes shot to her. She was glaring, she just knew it! Looking at her like she was a lesser creature. Sakura wanted to glare back, smart something witty off or just hiss at the girl, but her mouth felt numb and her eyes kept straying to the floor.

Why was this so hard for her? She worked around hundreds of glowing models everyday. But none of those models posed a threat to her relationship with Tsunade.

"Enough bantering," Tsunade said. "What's the point of all this, Kakashi?"

"First of all," He replied. "I'd like you two to meet Shiranui Shizune," Kakashi gestured to the brunette who stood and bowed upon her proper introduction. "And Yamanaka Ino." The blonde didn't even bother with formalities. "Ladies, this is Okage Tsunade and Haruno Sakura. All four of you will be working with one another everyday now, so get used to it."

"What?" Sakura and Tsunade said in unison.

"Everyday?" Sakura paled, unable to picture herself competing with Ino for Tsunade's management.

"Woah, wait a minute Kakashi," Tsunade protested. "What's going on here? You know I can't take care of all these girls. Sakura's still new, and then to take on two more...you'll be putting me on overload. I won't do it."

"Too bad," He shrugged. "You can and you will." Sakura gasped at his lack of concern. Even she had to admit all three of them would be a bit much for Tsunade to manage. Maybe if they were all experienced and prepared it would be possible. But Tsunade would have to start from scratch with these two as well and continue to launch Sakura higher and higher to the stars. Swiftly, though, she remember that Shizune wasn't to be a model, but an assistant manager.

"Perhaps you should clear something up first, Mr. Hatake." Shizune offered, then turned to the affronted women. "I will be acting as Tsunade's assistant. Not apprentice." She corrected.

Tsunade visibly relaxed, her shoulders falling limp in relief. "I suppose that isn't so bad. Ms. Yamanaka doesn't seem like she needs too much consulting on my part." Her amber eyes appraised the young woman's choice in apparel approvingly.

Ino beamed.

Sakura crumbled.

And the world felt like it had just gotten a little bit darker.

A day that had started out wonderful and turned bad had now just gotten worse.

"Thank you, Tsunade." Her peachy lips spread in a buttery smile. "I'm sure Mr. Hatake made the right decision assigning me to you." Blue eyes fluttered over to Kakashi with a mischievous glint. Kakashi smirked, and Sakura found there was something in his expression she didn't like.

"Be a good girl," He scolded lightheartedly, familiarly. Ino only smiled pleasantly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Shizune said. "But if I'm to be the new assistant of Tsunade, then I think it would best to remind everyone here that Sakura has a photo shoot she's already _hours_ late for."

"Ah," Tsunade drawled, resuming a lax position. "I think I'm going to like her." She said to Kakashi.

"Wonderful, excellent, superb, amazing grace!" He smiled happily. "With that said, I fail to see why such lovely young ladies would need to hold my company any measure of moments longer."

Sakura raised her brows at him. "Amazing grace?" She inquired quietly. God, he was odd sometimes.

He shrugged. "It sounded good to me." He whispered back, a touch of humor in his voice.

"You're leaving already?" Ino butted in.

"I have some very important deadlines to meet by the end of the week." He explained and it seemed more than enough to silence her.

"I suppose we should be going, too." Tsunade sighed. "My photographer is probably raising hell by now...that is, _if_ he's still on site." She rubbed her temples, praying he hadn't abandoned her. It would be hard to find another experienced photographer this far into the shoot.

"I'll call our driver and have him waiting for us out front." Shizune pulled out her cell phone as she began walking out of the room, already punching in the numbers. "I'll go ahead and give the crew a heads up, too. That way they'll be ready for us."

Tsunade grinned, staring after the brunette. "Have I told you yet I like her," She pointed to the girl as she walked out the door. "...a lot." Sakura smiled softly and Kakashi let out a muted sort of chuckle as Tsunade followed her out of the room. Leaving Sakura, Kakashi and Ino. And a very nerve wracking silence to float between them.

"Would you like to walk down with me, Sakura?" Ino asked.

"Actually, Ino," Kakashi put in. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a word with Ms. Haruno before she leaves."

Ino said nothing for the longest time, giving off a kind of static electricity from her eyes. It wasn't an uneasy feeling she was emitting. Rather, an examining look she was directing specifically at Kakashi. An untrusting sort of wave in her eyes. It was hard for Sakura to place her finger on it and it was hard for her to decide just exactly why she was looking at him in such a way. Or how Kakashi could remain so unaffected by her glare. It was giving her the heeby-geebies.

"Alright," She nodded solemnly. It was only for a split second, but was it protectiveness Sakura had just seen in her new co-workers eyes? Protect? Whom? To protect Kakashi, maybe? But why? It was ridiculous and Sakura had to wonder if she was just imagining things. The look was probably that of a misread challenge. After all, Yamanaka Ino hardly seemed like the sentimental big sister type.

When the blonde's footsteps were heard echoing down the long marble hall outside the closed door, it was then that Sakura realized she was completely alone with this man...again.

But the oddest thing about it was she wasn't nearly afraid to be in solitude with him as what she should have been, at least not as much as she had been in the past.

It was also then that she realized just how close she was standing to him. She took an abrupt step back and waited.

"How do you like them?" He asked.

"I suppose I'll have to get to know them better." She replied.

"They're good people, Sakura. Please, just try to get along with them."

"I don't think there will be any problems." She said mildly. "I'm not big on unnecessary confrontations."

"Great, then you won't have any objections to a dinner party tonight."

She was on the verge of disagreeing with a frown on her face, but she caught herself and mentally scolded her waywardness. A dinner would be a perfect opportunity to milk some information out of him. "Oh?" She said with a bit of feigned curiosity. "What kind of party?" Sakura had to give herself credit, she was getting better at this whole sham.

"It's just a company dinner. A little something to entertain our sponsors, a bit of promoting for our newer models, a lot of mingling."

"I love mingling." She said with a playful wiggle of her eyebrows. "I suppose I'm going to be one of the models you'll parade around the party?"

"You don't need any more attention than the media has already given you." He took her arm and began walking her to the door. "I think your position in our ranks is sealed at this point. But new models like Ino will have to make a debut somehow, it'll be a great chance for her to shine. I hope you don't mind, the camera's will be on someone else tonight."

"I think I'll manage." She hung her purse on her arm as he opened the door for her and led her to the elevator.

"I'm sure you will," He kept his hand on her lower back as the elevator opened for them to enter. "I'll pick you up around seven, that is, if you can manage."

She laughed softly, forgetting herself for a small moment. "I haven't agreed to your invitation yet, Kakashi." She poked at him. "I might become spontaneously jealous of all the attention that will be on Ino, not me. Unlike you, I'm not allergic to a camera lense. I rather like all that glamor and glitter."

"You and Ino will be quite the pair then." She felt his hand move like fire on her back and realized he had hardly taken his hands off of her today, or yesterday for that matter.

She looked up to study his profile, her green eyes scanning his face. Finding nothing more than the image of a man. "You like touching me, don't you?" She asked, meeting his eyes as he glanced down at her. Finding nothing more than a curiously innocent glint in her expression. Nothing accusing or mocking or perverse, just a question. Realizing that she was correct in her assumption that he couldn't keep his hands away from her.

He felt his body being pulled to hers, but he resisted. He was drawn to her big green eyes looking up at him expectantly, but he looked away. Only to see her lips parted softly and all he could picture was those lips moving in accordance against his.

"It's hard not to," He said quietly, his hand moving gently further up her spine. Her body shivered under his caress, making his hand tingle in a fascinating sort of way. "Sometimes, I find that–"

The floor shook as the elevator stopped and the doors opened with a chime to the bustling lobby.

"You what?" She persisted. Her eyes wide and sparkling, hanging on the fringe of his words for some reason she couldn't even fathom.

"Tsunade is waiting for you." He removed his hand and looked away from her to the front desk where the blonde woman was awaiting her charge. "Go on, you're late enough as it stands."

"But," She began, but thought better of it and bit her lip instead.

"I'll see you tonight, Ms. Haruno." His tone was clipped and oddly callous. Not the easy, chiding voice she had started to become accustom to with this man.

"Yes, sir," She swallowed a lump in her throat and left the elevator, looking back to watch as the doors closed and he returned to his office on the top floor. Unable to get the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice and the shivering of her spine out of her head.

-

"So," Sakura began as they exited the limo by the beach, looking out at the vast array of staff and crew that accosted the site. The sun glistening on the small waves as they splashed against the shore line. A few sunbathers out enjoying the weather. "How old did you say you were?" She looked to Ino and asked amiably, but remained cautious and reserved. Trying to seem more occupied by the palm trees decorating the beach around them.

"Twenty," She offered as they sauntered together across the sand. Studying the camera's, lines of bathing suits to be modeled, tents and light catchers as they walked closer. "And you?" Ino, on the other hand, gave the girl her full attention.

"Eighteen," Sakura listened behind them as Tsunade began giving Shizune another list of tasks and errands to complete. This agenda sounded like it was going to be even longer than the last one she had already given her in the limo. Poor girl, working for Tsunade was a tough job.

"Ah, so young." Ino replied as she pulled her Oakley sunglasses down over her eyes.

Sakura shrugged. "Not much more than you, I suppose."

"I suppose," Ino sighed. "It's a curse, really. Being young, that is."

"I think I'll have to agree with that," Sakura smiled softly. "Twenty-five and under and the world will refuse to listen to you, no matter what message you may be trying to convey. Poverty, price gouging, the crisis of global warming...the physics of gravity," She giggled. "At my age, a girl's presumed ignorant until proven innocent in the court of _man_kind." Sakura made sure to emphasize the man part of that sentence.

"People just have a hard time accepting the fact that someone younger than them, and less experienced, maybe be better or even smarter. That's all." Ino grinned. "They don't mean any harm by their narrow minds, I guess I wouldn't want to listen to a ten year old any more than if I were forty and have to agree with a twenty year old. But then again, experience usually does prevail and prove more practical in some situations. It's just so...so..."

"Frustrating," They said in unison.

Both girls paused for a moment to glance at one another. An odd, contemplative look taking over their features. Ino was the first to give in and start laughing, soon followed by Sakura.

"Maybe we have a lot more in common than what I had first envisioned." Sakura said guiltily. Feeling as if she had misread the young woman. "I'm sorry if I might have come off as a bit anti-social," She blushed.

"Ah, I'm the one who should apologize. I know I can be a bit...overbearing at times." She gave her a big, goofy smile. "Nobody's perfect. To be honest, I was so nervous when you walked through those doors."

"Nervous?" Sakura cocked her head and stopped walking to listen. "What for?"

"Well," Ino lifted her shoulders and lowered her eyes for a moment. "You're so famous and beautiful. Not to mention younger than me and way thinner. It's going to be hard to live up to your image, Sakura. Especially since you and Tsunade are so close, I don't think I could ever have that kind of relationship with her. The woman is like a goddess stuck on earth." Sakura had to hold her tongue – it seemed Ino had yet to see the true side of Tsunade and her bad habits...all two hundred and forty seven of them.

If there was ever a time when Sakura wanted to laugh so much in her life, it would have been now. "You didn't seem very nervous." Sakura nearly rolled her eyes.

"Eh, that's just my way. Ask anyone that knows me well enough." She pointed over her shoulder to Shizune, taking the woman for example.

"I don't think I've ever known anyone who gets haughty when their upset." Sakura put a hand on her hip and jutted out her chin. Disagreeing with her. "I'm not sure if you know this, but it's not polite to glare at people upon introduction."

Ino looked appalled. "And I don't think I know anyone who hides in the shadows of others when they're intimidated...at least that's not a coward!"

"Coward?! How dare you! I am _so _not–"

"That's exactly what you did, don't even try to deny it." Ino flung her hair over her shoulder again.

"How can you blame me? Who wouldn't want to hide from such a icy cold stare?"

"I was only staring at that ginormous forehead of yours! Gawd, it takes up half your face."

Sakura's face turned red with fury. "Could you possibly be any more annoying?" She rubbed her temples. "Do you even have a brain?"

Ino looked offended to the most extreme, her eyes went wide and her jaw clenched. She'd been called stupid too many times in her life to count, there was no way she was going to let Miss Priss get away with the act as well. Most of all when she had her reputation to prove – in her new 'modeling career' as well as her budding life as a bodyguard. "Listen, I misread you and you misread me." She said stubbornly, trying to take the initiative between them and act as the mature half. "Let's just try to get along, alright? At least for Tsunade's sake. She's got enough work on her hands as it is."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but stopped. She had a point there. Their bickering would bring Tsunade nothing but stress, something the woman already had enough of. "Alright, it's worth a shot." She said hesitantly, concurring with the elder girl. "But only for Tsunade." She added on quickly. "I don't want you getting the wrong impression or anything, it's not as if I like you."

Ino smiled. "Great. Then we agree." She took Sakura's hand as though they were little girls at the playground. "Now then, lets see if there's anything to eat around this place. I'm starving."

"You just ate two candy bars in the limo!" Sakura said in awe, no wonder Ino was a few pounds heavier than she. She was a walking bottomless pit.

"I didn't have breakfast this morning." She said defensively.

"Ha, like that's a good excuse. I didn't get to eat my bowl of cereal, either. You're just a pig." She said teasingly.

"Shut up, barbie girl! Why don't you put some sun screen on that huge ass forehead of yours before it blinds me!" Ino smacked her on the head with the back of her hand.

Sakura opened her mouth for another retort, but was swiftly stopped by Tsunade's loud voice calling her down the stretch of beach.

"You better get to work, girlie. You've put the shoot off long enough."

"Fine, but I wouldn't eat too much if I were you. Tsunade's strict about our diets." She warned.

"Just get out there and do your thing." Ino clipped, giving little heed to the tip.

"You should come watch...you might actually learn something."

"Only about as much as I would from a preschooler."

Sakura laughed, a part of her enjoying the companionable quarl between them. "I...guess I'll see you at the promo dinner tonight?" She asked.

"Of course I'll be there. I'll be the gal with the hottest date on her arm." She winked.

Sakura laughed again. "I'm sure he'll be just to die for. I'm stuck with our boss for the night." She said miserably.

"Mm," Ino smirked. "Doesn't sound so bad to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure..." She turned away, already recognizing Ino as a possible threat for Hatake Kakashi's favors. Nothing personal, but the man needed to be wrapped around _her_ finger for everything to work out properly. "I'll see you later tonight." She waved and began to walk away.

"Sure thing," She nodded. "Oh...Sakura," Ino called at the last minute. "I'm...it was nice meeting you."

"You too." Sakura nodded genially and blushed. "Goodbye,"

"See ya around, girlie." Ino watched her walk off into Tsunade's wrath of rambling chastises. A few minutes later and Ino left her sand dune and found a position standing by Shizune, watching over the younger girl from a short distance.

-

Kakashi stood outside her door, staring at the shiny brass knob. He'd been standing here a full ten minutes now, smiling to himself. Listening as she paced the floor just on the other side of the threshold. Her heels clicking rhythmically against the hard marble of her foyer.

He was late.

A good hour and a half late.

She was worried. If not for his safety, but her fragile reputation that she must uphold for society. To Tsunade and her young student, there was no such thing as 'fashionably late.' She had taught Sakura that it was either show up on time, or don't show up at all. But he wouldn't put up with that kind of attitude tonight, especially considering he was acting as president and company owner in absence of Jiraiya. If he wanted to make his entrance extremely tardy with a beautiful woman on his arm, then there was nothing nobody could do or say about it. Ah, the benefits of running one's own company.

He heard her mumble something about old men being unable to tell time and so he finally decided to end her misery. He raised his hand and rapped softly against her door. Her footsteps paused and then slowly eased their way closer to the door.

Kakashi reached up with a lazy hand and covered the peep hole with his index finger. It remained silent on the opposite side of the wall between them.

"Who is it?" She inquired softly, the caution apparent in her voice when she couldn't see anything but black past the spy glass.

He waited patiently without replying.

"...h-hello?" He closed his eyes and imagined her standing there. Her ear pressed to the wood of the door, biting her lip anxiously with worry. Her feathery hair swirled up in a fancy sort of way, pale skin revealed and hidden in all the right and wrong places by a gorgeous gown, no doubt. Refusing to open the door until he identified himself. "Who's there?"

"Your secret lover," He heard her gasp outrageously. "I believe we have an appointment."

No sooner than the words left his mouth did the door swing open to reveal the irate girl.

"You," She glared.

"Yes, me," He smiled devilishly. "Hello, princess."

"Do you have any amount of knowledge of how inconceivably late you are?" She growled hostilely. Her shoulders tense.

He looked at his gold plated watch with blatant indifference. "I have an idea, yes." He watched her pretty face contort in a struggle to remain calm and collected. The lightest bit of makeup illuminating her features, a brush of faint pink gloss shining along the curved lines of her lips.

"And what's your excuse this time?" She began interrogating him. "I suppose Buddha himself came down from the heavens and wished to have tea?" Sakura crossed her arms, her fold-clip purse dangling from her fingers.

"No," He shook his head and tapped his chin. "But there was this squirrel with a tea bag tied around its neck that fell out of a tree and hit my car..." For an extended moment, Sakura stared at him with unmasked criticism. He had to be the maddest person she had ever met, he could tell just by the way she was looking at him that she was not pleased.

"For goodness sakes!" She tossed her head back, giving up on him for the night. "Whatever, you win. Just get me out of here pronto." She locked the door behind her as she stepped into the hallway and led the way to the elevator. Kakashi watched her as she walked away, gliding flawlessly in her stilettos – he recalled a time when Tsunade had told him she didn't even know how to look at a pair of heels properly. She had changed so much from the skinny teenage girl who had walked through the company doors into the woman she was today. From the to and fro sway of her hips, up to her hair perfectly arranged in a stylish coiffure. A pastel blue halter gown clinging to her body that fell past her ankles to brush the floor, but what the dress lacked in exposure of the legs and chest it revealed twice as much from behind. Spreading in a wide V all the way down to her hips.

He had never really seen her before she came to work for Jiraiya's company, but her brother had told him so much of her kindness, her gentle heart, her strong will, her wide-eyed way of looking at the world with eager interest. Where was that same girl? Nothing remained of her outer shell. But rather, the true Haruno Sakura was hidden deep inside her mind, scared and alone and hurt. Desperate and anguished...vengeful. He shivered once, wondering if her life would have been spared the tainting of one more death if he hadn't intervened.

Kakashi had to give the girl credit, the image of the wary, lost eighteen year old school girl was nothing more than a shadow in the light of her budding beauty. The small protrusions of her delicate shoulder blades called out for his touch, the deep curve of her spine, the outline of her petite ribs and absolutely flawless skin. Thin and healthy and tone. His fingers started itching and again he realized how right she was in saying that he couldn't seem to keep his hands off her.

"Ahem," The sudden cough caught him off guard and he looked up into her aware eyes. Perhaps, he thought, it would be best for him to not say anything this time around. "Is there a problem?" She inquired.

He shook his head and took his spot by her side, escorting her down the hall. On alert to her gaze watching him from the corner of her eyes.

"You know, you have yet to tell me how lovely I look tonight." She smiled slyly as he chuckled at her. "I'm eagerly awaiting your praise, Mr. Hatake." She said as he helped her into the expansive elevator compartment and hit the ground floor.

"You look absolutely ravishing, darling." He enthused to placate her.

"Hm," She hummed. "I do believe you've just filled my night with uncontainable joy, good sir." Sakura laughed, leaning back casually against the rail inside the elevator. "Actually, I really did try to dress down for the occasion. Considering this is Ino's chance to shine and all. I hope I won't attract too much attention, we don't want too many people looking at me tonight." She turned her face down and smiled to herself, still laughing nervously. She always did get a little anxious before these big parties she had to attend.

But she felt his calloused knuckles gently touching her face, brushing softly down her cheek in a faint caress. Lifting her head as he moved from the feathery hairline of her temple to her pouty lips. "They will be helpless to look at anything but you," He whispered in her ear, giving no never mind to the fact that they were the only ones occupying the large space. Leaving her feeling as though the deceleration was personal and intimate...as well as leaving her heart hammering in her chest and her face tingling from his touch.

Who was wrapped around whose finger?

"I..." She began, trying to find her voice. Trying futilely to get off the subject of her looks. "I hope you have a phone in your limo. I couldn't fit mine in my purse and I have yet to call Tsunade. She's probably worried about us." She quickly darted her eyes away from his and licked her lips.

"I didn't bring a limo." He said, leaning back against the wall next to her.

"Don't be ridiculous, you can't go to a fancy company dinner like this without a limo. It's...it's...it just isn't done."

"Damnit girl, you've been around Tsunade too long." He frowned.

"Pish posh, I have not." She joked, trying to make her voice low and full like the blonde's.

"Of course you have, look, you're even starting to develop her chest." He pointed with his eyes. She smacked him on the arm with her purse.

"You're terrible."

"And you're dull," He sighed forlornly.

"Alright then, at least tell me you brought a chauffeur, an escort – _anything_."

No response.

"Oh, I can already tell this is going to be an embarrassing night. Two hours late and not even a limo to pull up in." She wailed, sauntering on the verge of tears. "Why?"

"I'll have you know I have a severe aversion to limo's," He stated. "I'm deathly afraid of them. They're just so long and shiny and quirky looking. Don't they creep you out?" His smirk did little to amuse her.

"Liar,"

"Maybe," He shrugged. "But you don't know that for sure, now do you?"

"I have strong reason to believe the contrary." She mumbled as he led her out of the elevator, through the lobby and into the night.

By the time they reached their destination, the convention was well under way and bustling full of life and vigor and smiling faces.

Sakura was nearly T-boned by Tsunade the moment she stepped into the dome shaped room, Shizune hanging a few steps behind in a navy blue two-piece. Looking professional and fresh and a little overwhelmed by the size of the crowd.

"Where the _hell _have you two been?" Tsunade directed that particular curse to the man holding her arm. Sakura smiled at her, a vision in her creamy Grecian gown that flowed all the way to the floor. An exceptionally low neckline that displayed her generous cleavage. Her near golden hair pulled back a the base of her neck. Ino was right in describing her as a goddess stuck on earth, she could have easily been mistaken for the very portrait of Athena.

"Buddha. Tea bags. And flying squirrels." Sakura answered and extended a exasperated look to Kakashi, as if it explained the vast majority of the subject with no need for detail.

"An excuse for everything, huh." Tsunade huffed at her apprentice's irresponsible escort. Then shook her head when Kakashi failed to muster a response to her evil eye. There was just something about that man that got under her skin and ruffled her feathers. He was hiding something, whether good or bad was irrelevant if he didn't take care of her girl properly. "Ino's been waiting for you to arrive. She's been busying herself strutting her billionaire boyfriend around the floor until you got here." Tsunade cooled herself down by changing the subject and dragging her eyes away from her pale haired philandering boss.

"Oh? Where's she at?" Sakura asked, her eyes scanning the expanse of the room from wall to wall. There weren't many photographers in attendance, but the place was loaded with reporters and journalists chomping at the bit to get a statement from each new beauty making her debut to the world of modeling.

Tsunade pointed and Sakura followed the direction until her eyes landed on a small group of fancied-up attendees.

Sakura put a hand to her chest as her breath caught.

The blonde was absolutely vibrant and glowing. Smiling and laughing as she entertained the small crowd around her. Sporting her shapely figure in a powdery pink dress that stopped at her knees. Her hair sitting high on the crown of her head in a thick, heavy chignon. Sparkling and glittering from the pink pearls around her neck. No doubt, Ino was the very focus of the afternoon. The belle of the ball. The rave of the party and the flavor of the week.

And there on her arm was a young, callous looking man with long dark, almost feminine hair and cold eyes. Wearing a pressed Armani suit and buffed ruby cufflinks at his wrists. She didn't really recognize him, but his wealth and importance was obvious by the way men and women were hang around him.

Sakura swallowed. Hard.

She stole a glance to her left at her much older date and frowned. His hair wasn't a bad as it usually was and he was well shaved, at least. But although his getup was from a much more expensive and revered designer than Ino's date...he had forgotten to button the top two buttons of his lawn shirt. And from what she could gather every time his cashmere jacket moved, Sakura got a peak at the tail end of his shirt that had come untucked from the right hip of his pants. And his shoes...oh, lord they had scuffs all over them! She was half afraid to look under the legs of his pants...too fearful of finding that his socks didn't even match.

Sure, he looked comfy and natural and confident, but he was at a company outing for goodness sakes!

It wasn't as if Sakura had been born into the pinnacle of society herself. But he was the acting owner and president of a modeling company. A _modeling_ company. Where looks and titles and price tags meant everything.

Oh, she wanted to shoot him even more just thinking about it.

When Ino spotted the newly arrived couple, she abandoned her date and quickly made her way across the floor with fluid grace.

As soon as she reached Sakura, Kakashi excused himself and swiftly headed for a group of males that he'd been eyeing since he'd set foot in the building.

"Sakura, look at you," Ino smiled. "That dress is killer, who took care of you?"

"Marchesa." Sakura shrugged. "Nothing too outlandish, is it? I wanted this night to be special for you."

"Heck no," She chuckled then glanced over her shoulder to her date taking up post by the punch bowl. "So?" She wiggled her eyebrows and giggled giddily as if she were in high school again.

"What?" She asked, completely clueless.

"My date." Ino nodded over her shoulder again. "What do you think?"

"I'll trade ya." She exchanged a knowing look with her newfound friend and smiled. "Enough said."

Ino's shoulders rose and fell in a hopeless sigh. "I wouldn't mind." She stated. "Mr. Hatake's more than something to just bat your lashes at. He's not such a bad guy, Sakura."

Sakura crossed her arms over her stomach and looked away, trying to divert her attention elsewhere. Yeah, he was something alright...a cold blooded killer.

"What do you find so repulsive about him, Sakura?" Ino pried. "He's just a man. Tall and broad and handsome in a...gruff sort of way." She had to pause to properly describe his attributes.

"Exactly." Sakura explained as the live orchestra struck up a new tune. "Gruff and rough and jagged on all his edges. Not the kind of man that should be the center fold for all of _these_ people." She gestured to the guests around them, all done up in their glamourous clothing and expensive perfumes and heavy jewelry. "Did you look at his lawn shirt? It's as wrinkly as an old mans's–"

"I get the picture." Ino held up a hand, not needing to hear the rest of that sentence.

"Well, it is. He doesn't fit in, he's an outsider. In his appearance and his way of life. He's always late, he doesn't do his job, he's lazy as a sloth and the atrocities that leave his mouth are some of the most profound things I've ever had the privilege to blemish my ears. What does that tell you about his character?"

"He does his own thing." The blonde shrugged. "Aren't you curious who my date is?" She was evasive and quickly changed the subject at matter.

"He looks a little familiar." Sakura admitted, easily falling for the blonde's maneuvering side-step. "I haven't modeled for him before, have I?"

Ino laughed softly. "No, his uncle's the founder of Hyuuga Hotels. Totally loaded, the guy's like a walking ATM machine." She whispered as she leaned in close. "The back seat of his car's pretty nice, too."

"Ino!" Sakura gasped, scandalized and as red as a rose.

"What?" She said innocently. "I'm just sayn' it's pretty cool He's got a TV, a phone and even a refrigerator–the whole shebang."

Sakura smacked her on the arm with her purse as they both broke out into a fever of girly, light-hearted laughter.

On the other side of the room, Kakashi was having a harder time getting the focus of his attention to open up.

He stared at Kimimaro down the length of his glass as he took another drink of water, refusing to drink alcohol on the job – his _real_ job. He studied his movements, his choice of words and phrases to what little Kaguya contributed to the conversation.

Kakashi worked himself in well, beginning new subjects and ideas and thoughts that were brought into view and letting the group of men around him take the topic from there. Stretching it on and asking his opinion on matters of business and marketing.

"Not a bad turn out for a company dinner." Kakashi remarked dryly as he made his way to Kaguya's side. His natural air of indifference was always a given drawl in to the enemy. Leaving them unsuspecting and curious and interested in what he might have to offer them. Never had a job of simply being oneself been so easy.

"Indeed." Was his curt reply.

Jeez, hope the guy didn't strain himself with that frown on his face.

Despite Kaguya's refusal to willingly begin a discussion between them, Kakashi was consistent enough without appearing persistent. And after a few minutes of practically talking to himself and adding subtle underlying hints into his phrases, consistency finally paid off.

"Mr. Hatake," He began. "Would you mind joining me on the terrace for a cigar?"

Bingo.

Just what he wanted to hear. It was like music to his ears...only music was usually a little more prettier.

It was an open invitation to speak about more private matters...more devious matters judging by the way Kakashi had been working his thoughts and interests on drugs into the conversation.

Kakashi gave Kimimaro a smirk of smug satisfaction and he returned the gesture. Both of them knowing the direction their intentions were leading: money and drugs. Two of many branching roots to the tree evil.

Whether big-timers or hot shot wannabe punks, the results were always the same. They were all too easy to penetrate their defenses. Too eager in expanding their empire to whomever they could snatch up. However, just because they let you into their ring didn't necessarily meant they trusted you. Their criminal intent was always there, but these men intrusted their dirty careers to the hands of no one but themselves.

But, damn it, if Kimimaro wanted to shoot some crack with him it was going to make things much more difficult. And chances were, taking into account the way the man was sizing him up, the offer was going to be made.

Kakashi himself had kicked his own nasty coke habit back when he was twenty three and Gekkou had threatened to throw him from the force for police brutality(not for the first time, either.) That was over ten years ago and was as clean as a whistle these days, sober as a baby...except, of course, for that bad little drinking problem that popped up on occasion. Otherwise he hadn't much touched drugs since then except for the occasional grass he smoked with minor league dealers for the same reason he was attaching himself to Kimimaro's side.

In a way, it was like convincing the enemy he really was one of them.

_Fuck._

It wasn't as if he could turn down the offer, that would just look too damn suspicious. Doing crack with each other was like a bonding ritual for some of these bastard's.

And if he did? Hell, it'd been nearly twelve years since his last high...needless to say his tolerance to the narcotic was pretty damn low. He'd be tripping all night, and that meant leaving behind Sakura. He wouldn't be able to let her see him like that. And he sure as hell didn't want to leave her in the not-so-capable hands of Ino, who seemed more distracted by the glamour around her than the girl under her protection. Damn it all, he was screwed either way.

He sighed and tried to sound amused by his offer. "Yeah," He looked around him, looking for Sakura. He needed to talk to her before he left. His eyes continuously scanning the room with little success of finding her. Damn, just where the hell was that girl? "Just give me a few minutes and I'll join–"

"Kakashi," Sakura said in a cheerful tone at his back. "You're not being a very good date." She reprimanded as she took her place by his side and hung on his arm like a besotted female should. Smiling at her audience of men, looking radiant and stunning...and everyone of them eyeing her like a piece of meat. As if, to each his own, she were their own secret little conquest.

Kakashi wanted to growl in frustration. Her timing couldn't have been worse.

"Sakura, could I have a word with you for a sec?" He asked and tried to usher her out of the group.

"Mr. Kimimaro!" She ignored him and turned to her old acquaintance. "It's so nice to see you again." She reached out with dainty fingers for a friendly shake, smiling as the young man brought her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles. Pausing for just a moment too long as his lips lingered to inhale the scent of her skin.

"Charmed." He extended an enchanting look over her body.

Kakashi knew that look. It had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with money. He was sizing her up. Deciding if he could use her for their rotten business deals.

The fists deep in his pockets suddenly clenched as those images of murdered women lying on cold concrete floors flooded his mind. Blood all around them, bullet holes imbedded in their heads. Only instead of seeing Monique Xavier and other top models...he saw Sakura.

His body nearly went cold.

There was no way in hell he was going to let that happen to her.

"Sakura," He began, but the girl was talking up a storm to the guests around her. Doing her job, being a good, well-trained spokeswoman for Jiraiya's company. "Sakura," He tried again, but she just wouldn't shut up. He sighed and rubbed his temple, trying not to blame his failed infiltration of Kimimaro's defenses on her. This wasn't her fault. It was his, he was inadequate as he'd proven so many other times before to her brother, to Obito, to Sasuke.

His chance at landing Kimimaro tonight was gone.

"Some other time, then, Mr. Hatake." Kimimaro said at his side, as to not interrupt his bantering date and took a sip of the brandy he was holding as he turned to walk away.

"Yeah," Kakashi mumbled as he watched his chance for a productive night walk out the door as he was stuck babysitting for the rest of the evening.

"What was that all about?" She asked innocently once she had stopped long enough to speak to him.

He looked down at her, knowing she was digging for information. Information that was never going to share with her. "Nothing," He answered and downed the rest of his water.

Sakura wasn't sure just exactly what it was that she had done to royally piss Kakashi off. But she had done it, judging by the cold shoulder he'd been giving her the rest of the night, and she was rather pleased with herself for accomplishing such a task – that is, whatever the heck it was that she'd accomplished. Somehow the victory wasn't as sweet when she didn't even know how she'd won. Although she had a slight suspicion it had something to do with that conversation with Kimimaro Kaguya that she had interrupted. She nearly scratched her temple as her brain itched to know more, but no, the guy was as tight as fist.

He wouldn't share a thing, no matter how many times and ways she asked. Oh, well. She'd keep trying, she'd get closer to him. He'd crack eventually and trust her enough to squeal a little. And once he started talking a little, then he'd start talking a lot. It was inevitable, high school drama was the same way. Once one thing came out, everything else started to tumble out as well. Like a crowded closet, remove on piece of junk and the whole thing just falls in on ya.

He'd had his share of the night by the time the clock struck twelve. He was making it very apparent to her that he was ready to leave.

"But it's only midnight." She said, a bit disappointed. "You want to leave already?"

"Yes," Was his short reply.

She huffed once, but didn't object. Sakura would have rather stayed longer, she was having a pretty good time with Ino and Shizune and a few other models that she had just met. It was too early for a fashionable retirement for the night, but she couldn't argue. He was the man and she the mindless ninny who followed orders.

Tsunade, who had been discreetly listening in on their conversation leaned in and offered, "Why don't you come home with me, Sakura. Me and the girls were thinking about striking up a card game, have a couple beers..."

Kakashi suddenly coughed at her side. Tsunade looked up and smiled. "_If_ it's okay with your watch dog, of course. What do ya say, Cujo?" Sakura looked up at him and felt a tugging urge to laugh. He did kinda remind her of a guard dog...a rather bossy one at that. He was big and tall and broad and scruffy looking.

"I have a better idea," He frowned. "How about she not go with you."

Sakura's urge to laugh quickly withered away. "You're not my father." She reminded him.

"And you don't need to be out drinking with women over half your age, Sakura." He in turn reminded her with a lowered, tired voice. The dark rings under his eyes, she noticed, had become a little more deeper as the night went on, wearing him down. She smiled inwardly, using his exhaustion to her advantage could definitely come in handy at getting what she wanted out of him. Ah, the joys of being a conniving teenager: no remorse. None whatsoever.

So she worked him down, dogged him. Wined, pouted and threw a fit until he eventually gave way and let her have what she wanted.

"Alright," He scratched the back of his neck wearily. "But if you want to drink and gamble and embroil in sin it's going to be at one of my apartments," He briefly glanced at Tsunade. "No offense." He offered.

"None taken." She shrugged her creamy shoulders.

"But–" Sakura opened her mouth only to have Tsunade cut her off.

"It's alright, Sakura. His place is closer anyways, mine's all the way across town." She said as she turned to gather up her shoal and purse. "I'll go see if Ino and Shizune are still interested."

When the blonde was out of sight, Sakura turned a glaring eye on her estranged boss. Her chest heaving in a subtle display of frustration.

"Something wrong?" He asked with an obtuse smile.

"You know exactly what's wrong." She narrowed her eyes, which didn't effect him in the slightest way she had hoped it would.

"Do I?" He turned his body to her, stepping closer, looming over her with his slumping shoulders. "I guess you're not the only one who knows how to play games to get what one wants."

"Games have nothing to do with this," She snapped. "You have no right to rule my life like this."

"Your life?" He raised a brow. "As far as I can remember, I've only known you for two days."

"And you've made them a living hell!"

"Ah, but I could make them so much better if you'd just let me in." His hand lifted out of his pocket and captured her chin. "Face it, princess. You can't get enough of me."

She wanted to scream, she wanted to shout, she wanted to throw her fists around and yell curses. She wanted to lean into his warm body the moment his hand slipped from her chin to the back of her neck to caress the silky texture of her hair.

God, she hated it when he did that stuff. It made her feel helpless and vulnerable, and those were two emotions she wanted to avoid when she came in contact with this man.

She bit her lip and glanced around, unnerved when she realized how un-alone they were at the convention. Feeling as if a thousand eyes were boring into her back, although her back was to the wall and Kakashi seemed to be about as inconspicuous as a fly on a window ledge.

Her body shivered convulsively when his fingers slipped past her nape and traveled down her distinct spine. Following and feeling every ridge and curve with painstaking slowness. Her skin bare and exposed by the dress she wore.

Her eyes shot up to his, not missing the odd haze that had came over them in the glowing chandelier light overhead.

"What's it like," She suddenly asked, her voice soft and tender as her hand hesitantly ascended to his face. Reaching for that mesmerizing dark scarred eye. "To only see half the world?" She finished, not thinking how ridiculous that question really sounded.

Her voice seemed to snap him out of his haze as he turned his head away from her before she could touch him. Why did he want to tell her everything all of a sudden? That he'd rather see nothing of the world than anything at all, at least not of the world he was accustomed to. That going from perfect vision to only a passing, troublesome glance had been one of the hardest adjustments he had ever had to make in his life. To confess to the shitty life he had led, always being reckless enough to cause himself harm...but never enough to kill himself. He even wanted to share with her the story behind the ugly scars on his face and body...

But no, he couldn't. He'd blow his cover in the process. He'd probably scare the girl half to death just summing the situation up. It would give her nightmares for weeks, hell, it'd given him nightmares for years.

God, he was a mess. Inside and out.

"It puts things in a narrower perspective," He smiled charmingly, making light of the question. Then he watched as the small parade of woman began to make their way to the exit. "We'd better go," He eyed the two blondes and one brunette as they waved them over to the door. "Wouldn't want to keep them waiting." Kakashi's hand fell from her back as he watched that look come over her face again. That wistful, longing gaze that made him hot all over and wonder just exactly what was running through that pink head of hers.

She didn't smile at him as she stepped away and took the lead a few paces ahead.

Kakashi fell behind at a short distance, just enough so she couldn't hear him and pulled his cell phone out from the inner pocket of his jacket and hit the speed dial. Groaning to himself as he tried not to stare at the pair of hips swaying in front of him, or the skin peaking out from behind the powdery blue material of that dress.

He kept the phone to his ear until the ringing stopped and a voice answered. "Asuma? Hey, you still hanging outside the convention? Good – I'm headed over to my place at the _W._ with a small army of women...yeah, I'm going to need back up." He sighed, thinking this was just going to be another night of sleepless pandemonium and took Sakura's arm as they walked out the door. Feeling a kind of odd comfort in her smile, know that she was going home with him tonight. Where he could keep her safe.

-

Sakura watched Tsunade and Ino say goodbye to their dates from the confines of Kakashi's town car in the _W._ Hotel's vast parking garage. Wondering why Shizune hadn't bothered in finding a man to cling to for the night. She was an attractive woman and very proper. The woman had a conservative style in the taste of clothing she wore. Every bit of what the professional business woman should look and act like. Even the sound of her voice was perfected.

"She's married." Kakashi said at her side, as if he had read her mind.

"To who?" Sakura tilted her head curiously.

_My boss_. Kakashi thought with a smirk. "A total asshole. Bossy as hell."

"Doesn't sound very nice."

Kakashi shrugged. "The guy has his moments."

"Kinda like you?" She gave him a jaunty side glance and he couldn't help but smile.

"Much worse. He's got a tempter to boot."

"Do you have a temper, Mr. Hatake?"

"Like a caterpillar."

Sakura put a hand on her stomach as she burst out laughing. "You say the–"

"Strangest things," He shook his head. "Yeah, I know. I've heard that nearly everyday of my life."

"No," She tapped her chin and eyed him up and down sitting in the drivers seat. Sprawled out and care-free. "I was gonna say cute."

"Ah, shi– er," He paused. "Shoot, Sakura, you make me sound like a sap." He grumbled.

"I didn't mean it like that!" She laughed harder when she thought she saw his cheeks turn a touch red.

"Come on," He abruptly opened his door and got out. "They're waiting on us." He said before he went to her side and helped her out of the car. Ignoring her random bouts of giggles every time she looked at him.

They all rode the elevator up to Kakashi's penthouse residence, all of the women laughing and whispering and talking about stuff that didn't even register to Kakashi.

It didn't come as a surprise to him when all the woman gasped when he turned on the lights to his suite only to find a man sitting at his kitchen table smoking a cigarette. The fumes creating a thick haze around the big guy.

Shizune and Ino, of course, recognized him immediately and kept their mouths shut and feigned shock.

"Hatake," The man stood and put out his cigarette stub.

"Ladies," Kakashi began as he stalked into the room and shrugged off his jacket, flinging it on the nearest chair he found. Sakura momentarily noted that she had been right about his lawn shirt, it really was in dire need of steaming. "This is Asuma Sarutobi. I suggest you get used to him – he's kinda like a rash, you know, really annoying and it just won't go away." He smirked. "About as ugly as one too."

"Man, Hatake, fuc–"

Kakashi let out a loud cough as he headed over to the bar. Asuma growled and shut up as he eyed the women in the room. Then returned to the glass of Scotch he'd already helped himself to and pulled out a fresh stick of tobacco.

Ino was the first one to tread in and make herself comfortable, kicking off her heels and tossing her shawl on top of Kakashi's dark jacket on the chair. As if she were completely at home with these men. Tsunade was next to abandon her heels and shake her hair free of its hold. Making her way over to Kakashi to help with the drinks.

"Yo, Hatake, where's the cards?" Ino asked as she took a cigarette from Asuma's pack of reds. He lifted his dark head of brown hair and glared at her if he didn't like her smoking. She only gave him a big smile, challenging him to say something in front of everyone. The glare only got worse and caused the blonde to shudder until she put the cigarette back where she had found it without another word or smirk. Yeah, it was pretty obvious he_ really_ didn't like her smoking.

"On the coffee table in the other room," Kakashi answered Ino mindlessly as he bent into the refrigerator. "Where they were last week."

Sakura's jaw suddenly clenched.

Last...week?

Oh, it was time she made herself _very_ comfortable.

She looked at Shizune and smiled coyly as she shrunk back down to her five-foot-five-inches of height when she stepped out of her heels. The brunette smiled back and excused herself for a moment as she pulled out her cell phone to make a call, stepping out onto the balcony to talk in privacy.

Sakura took a seat beside Asuma and stroke up a conversation with a friendly smile. "So, what do you do for a living?" She asked half way through their talk.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He took a long drawl from the red hanging between his lips.

"Try me." She tempted, finding she was actually interested in what he had to say. Oddly enough, she found that she rather liked talking to him. He had a kind of comforting presence to him, deep in his hazel eyes. He was big and bulky and very tan and seemed more the type of man Hatake Kakashi would associate with rather than the upper crust socials he was tangling himself within at that dinner party.

"Some other night." He laughed softly. Not feeling particularly enthused about making up lies about his life tonight just to stay undercover, after all, he was only here for Kakashi's sake. The poor guy had been totally outnumbered. The two of them continued chatting until Ino plopped down and crossed her legs on the other side of the table with a worn out deck of cards. Shuffling them and sorting through the dead cards to be set aside.

"What's the game?" Tsunade asked as she and Kakashi took their seats. A bottle of Vodka and a shot glass in her hand, a bottle of beer in his.

"Euchre." She replied. "That is, if Miss Priss would get off the phone out there so we can get an evenly paired game going."

"Pairs?" Sakura asked cluelessly.

There was a sudden silence that overcame the room. Each person at the table exchanging a glance, except for her, making her feel stupid and out of the loop.

"Yeah, you play Euchre in pairs." Kakashi leaned over and smiled at her, one corner of his lips lifting in the devastating, smug action. His beer dangling loosely in his hand. She swallowed, trying not to feel like the world was caving in around her. "Wanna be my mate? I'm sure we'd make a great team–"

"_Ahem_," Tsunade and Asuma cleared their throats in unison. Sending him a dangerous kind of glare. He immediately backed off and relaxed in his chair. Leaning back and taking a sip from the bottle he was nursing with a grumble of annoyance. "You can be my partner." Asuma said at her side. "But you'll have to sit on the other side of the table." He explained the reason behind this rule to the game and she nodded complacently.

But as she stood, Shizune came in from the balcony. Her hair a little messy and frizzy from the whip of the wind. "Sorry guys," She smiled regretfully. "I have to be going, it's late enough already. Darn wedlock, sure can be a hassle sometimes."

As Tsunade made sure she would be alright driving home by herself, Sakura looked at Kakashi and he made a slicing motion across his neck, wiggling his eyebrows. Sakura frowned. Was he trying to insinuating something about Shizune's husband again?

Her eyes widened as the worst possible thoughts of the woman going home to an abusive husband kicked in and suddenly Sakura became pretty insistent that Shizune go home with her for the night.

Shizune, the poor woman, only looked at Sakura with mild confusion and politely declined the offer...no matter how many times Sakura persisted. All the while, Kakashi was cracking up in his head. Hell, Genma would probably be fairly pissed if he found out Kakashi was spreading rumors about him again. Ah, who cared. The guy always had been a little more than irritated with Kakashi ever since he took up position as chief. Pushing his buttons a few more times wasn't going to change anything between them.

With a rueful sigh, Sakura watched Shizune leave. "Gee, I hate to see her go." Her shoulders slumped. Worry etching the pretty lines of her face.

The table all shared confused glances and Kakashi hid his smile behind his beer.

"Well, that leaves us with one too many." Ino broke the silence as she continued to sort through the cards until there were only thirty-two remaining. "Who wants to volunteer to be the odd man out?"

"I will." Sakura offered, shaking off the anxiety she felt for Shizune. Golly, though, she didn't look or act like an abused wife. "I don't really know how to play, so I'll just watch for now."

Kakashi opened his mouth to offer her the seat beside him, to teach her. But Asuma must have been watching, or reading his mind, and blurted out, "I'll show you, Sakura." before Kakashi could even say a word.

"Okay," She said eagerly and took up her previous post beside him. "I hope you'll be patient with me."

"Oh, I'm a fairly tolerant man." He patted her shoulder. "Have to be, with the idiots I usually have to put up with." He glanced up at Kakashi and gave him a big smile from behind his beard.

Man, that guy was asking for a ass-kicking. But Kakashi only took another drawl from his beer, returning the smile. _Touché_.

"Tell me, how's all this work?" She asked.

"Well, from what I gather, me and Tsunade over there are going to be partners. And–"

"And me and Mr. Hatake here will be your enemies." Ino said playfully.

Asuma gave her a look that quickly shut her up. "Now, Tsunade's going to deal for this game. The play will begin with Kakashi sitting on her left, who leads a card. Or he can choose to go it alone: in which Ino sits out and Kakashi finishes the round. The others follow suit in rotation, until all four of us, or three, have played, making a trick. If, per say, I can't follow suit, I can play any card I want." He continued to explain and Sakura leaned in close over his shoulder to look at the four cards Tsunade had just dealt him. "The highest card of the suit led wins the trick; but trumps take all others..."

He continued on with the complicated rules and she followed along, nodding when she got the gist of it and shaking her head when she didn't.

Kakashi watched her with a wandering eye from across the table, leisurely leaning into the high back of his char. His hands burning to touch her as he watched her bite her lip and answer the question Asuma had asked her. Something to do with what she thought of the play he'd just made. God, but she was smart. Euchre wasn't an easy game to learn, it had taken him nearly three days just to figure it out. Akira had been more than right when he had said she was a sharp one.

Her eyes shot up in a distracted, lulling moment in the game and their eyes connected. He watched the blush on her cheeks flare up faintly as she smiled and returned her attention to the new suggestion Asuma was giving her.

Kakashi let out a slow breath as fire shot through his body. His jaw flexing.

Yeah, time for another beer, Hatake.

They finished the hand and Kakashi stood as he said, "I'm taking a breather." As they had already pressed an hour and a half into the game.

"Great idea," Ino reached over the table and grabbed Sakura's hand. "Come on, girl talk in the kitchen. Now."

Sakura had no choice but to oblige. "You need anything, Tsunade?" She asked as she walked past the woman who was pouring yet another shot of Vodka down her throat. Holy hell, that woman could hold her liquor. The bottle she had been pouring from was nearly half empty.

"I'm good." She waved dismissively and went back to counting the winnings she had made thus far. Sakura had also just realized how much of gambler her mentor really was, as well. Bad habit number two hundred and forty _eight_, she thought with amusement. Strike another one up for the blondes.

As Kakashi and Asuma moved out onto the balcony that overlooked the city, Ino dragged Sakura into the kitchen and apparently seemed to be suffering from a bad case of the giggles. Lord only knew why, she was losing so far in the game.

"Oh, my gosh!" She whispered and made a beeline for the bar. "Look at all this stuff."

"What stuff?" Sakura asked and looked over her shoulder. Then announced, "Oh," when she saw just exactly what had captured Ino's rapt attention.

Alcohol.

"I've never really drank this kind of stuff before, I mean wine coolers and beers ain't no big thing if you drink it moderately. Wanna give this a shot?" The look in her eyes was positively wicked and just screamed trouble...yet, it was impossible for the excitement of it all to not rub off on Sakura.

"Ino, you're only twenty!" She said in a higher pitched whisper, but couldn't conceal her cheshire grin.

"Have you ever tried..." She paused as she read the bottle she had just pulled from a higher shelf of the cabinet and pronounced the word with some degree of difficulty. "Jag...Jagermiester?" She opened the cork with a loud pop and sniffed the contents. "I think it's western." Sakura leaned in for a sniff and quickly plugged her nose afterwards.

"It stinks."

"Totally." Ino frowned.

"It'd be completely wrong of us to do this, you know."

"You're right." She nodded, adding a little bit of unconcealed feigned guilt.

"And god only knows what the stuff tastes like."

"Tell me about it. _So_ true."

"Or what it might do to us," She rolled her hand over her wrist in a steady ongoing motion. "We've never really drank anything like this before."

"...if you put it that way." The blonde sighed.

Then they both looked at each other and bared their teeth in a hellish kind of grin.

"So, we gonna try it or what?" Sakura asked.

"Hell yeah, that's my gir!" Ino quickly looked over her shoulder as Sakura sat out the crystal clear shot glasses and resumed to poor each one full to the brim of the smelly concoction.

"Alright, on three." They both choked on their silent, mirthful laughter.

"One,"

"Two,"

"Wait – wait," Sakura stopped. "You do know we could get into serious trouble for this."

Ino did seem to run the thought through her mind, truly she did. But the thrill of being a little hoyden just didn't come as easily to her without doing things that were completely, fully and utterly...bad. And so with a quick _Psh_ and a _Feh_ and a wave of the hand, Ino boldly declared, "Who cares?" and resumed their countdown.

Once their mischievous voices hit, "_Three!_" they tossed their heads back and gulped down the liquid in one strained swallow.

"Oh, yuck!" The both of them spat once it was down their throats. "It burns like a bitch." Ino whined.

"Tastes even worse." Sakura agreed and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Before another complaint to the flavor of the nasty drink was uttered, a figure appeared in the doorway and the girls froze as Tsunade's voice echoed in the kitchen. Oh, shi–

"You ladies throwing back shots without me?" She put a hand on her hip and smiled as her girl's expressions went from horrified to relieved. "Whatcha got over there?" Tsunade asked and took a peak at what they had been drinking.

"Jagermiester." Ino supplied with a corny look on her face.

Tsunade chuckled. "It's pronounced yei-ger-miester."

Sakura forced her lips into a thin line so she wouldn't laugh. Her belly feeling warm and her limbs already feeling loose. Especially her legs and thighs, man they sure felt tingly. Did that stuff usually work so fast on the body?

"Ever tried a jager bomb?" Tsunade walked into the kitchen and stopped short at the refrigerator to pull out a blue and silver colored energy drink. "You gotta mix the stuff just right, though." She said as she walked over and pulled down an extra shot glass for herself. They took the shots Tsunade made for them and after a few more minutes of chatting about fashion and boys and life in general, the girls heard the sliding door of the balcony open and male voices fill the room.

Kakashi came in the kitchen entrance and cast the women a curious glance as he passed them on his way to the fridge to pull out another beer, opening the tab with his bare hands, and proceeding to stare at each of them with serious caution as he walked back out. Each of them with their backs to the counter to hide their little secret.

When he was gone, they all broke out into fits of strangled giggles.

"Okay, just act normal...okay?" Tsunade said in a giddy tone. Sakura looked up to the woman in moment of amazement, wondering what it would be like to have her has a mother, or even a sister. Really, she was the best thing that had happened to her since her brother's passing.

Both of the girls shook their heads before they came back to the card table on wobbly legs and helplessly happy smiles on their faces. Rosy cheeks and glazed eyes.

"Who's winning again?" Ino asked. "I forgot."

"I believe we are." Kakashi answered her, lying.

"Grrreat!" Ino said a little too loudly and Sakura giggled...again. Asuma gave them a suspicious once over.

But Tsunade didn't seem too afflicted. With high spirits and a ladylike grin she dealt out the cards and was more than eager to resume her gambling.

A good twenty minutes later, Ino's shoulders were slumping and her eyes were drooping and she just couldn't seem to stop yawning. While Sakura, on the other hand, still couldn't seem to recover from her seizure of giggles. "You know..." Ino stretched her arms and licked her lips continuously, as if her lips felt numb. Sakura knew hers felt numb for sure...well, maybe not numb. But definitely tingly and warm. Along with her tongue and toes and even in her fingers a little. "I think...I think I'm gonna take a nap, k?" Sakura had a fleeting feeling that they were busted, going by the look in Asuma and Kakashi's eyes.

The young blonde stood slowly and shuffled her feet lazily over to the couch in the entertainment room. Asuma followed her with a sharp, watchful eye until she had landed on her destination and went out cold within minutes.

_How sweet_, Sakura thought as she watched him get up to throw a blanket over the girl, thinking how her brother used to do that for her. Then, out of nowhere, she gave another giggle just for the hell of it. After all, who _didn't_ like giggling? Apparently, it was her favorite thing to do at the moment.

"You wanna take her spot?" Tsunade asked, her own amber eyes finally starting to show signs of inebriation and fatigue. Gosh, what time was it anyways? She wondered as she looked around the room for a clock. "Sakura?" Tsunade called her name again.

"Huh?" She perked up with a big, cheesy grin.

"I asked you if you wanted to take Ino's place in the game."

"Oh, sure." She tried to stand to take Ino's previous seat across from Kakashi, but for some odd reason she tripped over her own two feet and landed roughly on her rump on the floor – not so graciously, might she add...with a giggle. Well, what do ya know. She still had a little bit of clutz left in her after all. And just the word clutz, in her mind, because it sounded so darn funny triggered another bout of laughter.

She heard Tsunade's laughter as well and leaned back until she was laying flat on the floor, her arms laying above her head as she stared at the spinning ceiling. Not caring that Tsunade was laughing at her fall from grace. And Kakashi, well, where was he anyways and why wasn't he laughing too? Tsunade obviously thought it was funny.

"Alright," She heard his voice over her head and smiled at the sound. She rather liked his voice. It was so low and gravely as if he had just woken up from a long slumber. "Time for bed." She heard the shift in his clothes as he leaned down, slipped his hands under her body and lifted her off the floor as if she were nothing more than a paper doll.

_Ooo, bad move_, she thought as the room started to spin more with the action. Despite herself, she looked up and him said, "Bed? What for? It's only–" She paused as she looked for that elusive clock again. "Why, it's nearly three!" She chirped when her eyes found the darn thing on the wall, the odd thing was it was swaying...or was it the wall that was swaying...or maybe her? "Mr. Hatake, you shouldn't keep young ladies out so late at night. It's highly improper." She smiled at him coyly and staggered to reach up and wrap her arms around his neck. Wow, he was warm. And very, very solid, she decided as she pressed her chest tighter to his.

"Tell me about it." He groaned.

When he passed Asuma on the way to his bedroom, he looked at the other man and said, "I'll be out in just a sec. I want to talk with you about a few things." Then he glanced back at Tsunade who had put her head down on the table, looking like she was about ready to topple over. "You wanna take that one?" He motioned to the woman.

"Sure thing," Asuma nodded, then looked down at the smiling girl in his friend's arms with a sudden frown and a blossoming gut tension of wariness.

"Don't worry," Kakashi jaunted, his hair falling over his eyes, his clothes in complete disorder. "I'll be gentle."

"Very funny, Hatake."

"Funny?" Sakura chimed in. "What's funny?"

"Nothing, princess." Kakashi said as he slid into his bedroom, winking at Asuma over his shoulder just to piss him off and nudged the door shut behind him.

"This is your bedroom?" She asked as he eased closer to the bed.

"Yeah,"

"It's dark." She heard him chuckle for some reason. She didn't think she said anything funny, but she giggled along with him just cause it felt good to.

"That's cause I haven't turned on a light yet." He set her down on the bed and took a step back to flick on the lamp resting on his night stand. Illuminating the large space with a dim golden glow reflecting off the tall walls.

"It's a nice place," She commented as she studied the room. "The whole apartment is." She reiterated.

He only smiled, thinking how she probably wouldn't think so highly of his real home. The one bedroom shit hole in the wall. Not this getup Jiraiya and Genma had hooked him up with for the duration of his current assignment.

He let out a ragged breath and scratched the back of his neck as he opened up his dresser drawer to pull out a clean linen shirt and tossed it on the bed. "The bathroom's right there. Go ahead and change into this if you want something more...comfortable to sleep in." He helped her back up off the bed and watched her with a possessive eye as she stumbled into the tiled room and clicked on the light.

He turned away and tried not to look when she didn't even shut the door behind her and busied himself with pulling back the covers of his large bed – thank god there were maids around this place to make them in the mornings. He wasn't even sure if he remembered how to make a bed. His norm was to just get up and go, the covers would still be there at night, and they'd still get just as messed up by the time morning came back around.

Kakashi heard water running and clothes falling to the floor and gurgling and he stayed just to make sure she didn't drown herself in the sink before she made it back to the bed, despite the unlikelihood of something like that ever happening. He just...he just wanted to make sure she was safe.

Then everything fell silent as she cut the water and he sat on his bed patiently, running his fingers through his hair. Grumbling over how friggen late it really was and how little sleep he'd had the past couple of days. Damn, that was going to catch up with him one of these days. He sure as hell was no spring chicken, but damn it, he had a feeling even if he was still a few years younger it wouldn't have made up for the lack of fuel he was chugging along at.

He lifted his head, staring at the bathroom doorway.

It sure had been damn quiet in there for a while.

He kept staring, his eyes narrowing. He started to stand...

"Wow! This sure is a nice bathroom!" Her head popped around the corner. "Jeez, it's nicer than the apartment me and my brother used to live in." She said mindlessly, too far out of it to care about what she said.

Kakashi let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding and sank his head into his hands as his elbows rested on his knees. "Come on," He huffed and raised his eyes wearily, sure as hell once he looked at himself in a mirror his eyes would look like shit. Curse it all, the day had seemed way to long and infinitely more slow. "Lets get you tucked in."

She slid her body out from behind the doorway and Kakashi sucked in his breath through his teeth.

God, she was like a little nymph. Her hair piling in thick, luscious waves down her back and over her shoulders. That big white shirt of his falling like a robe over her body, stopping at a torturously dangerous point just below her ass and leaving little wonder at what shade of pink her nipples really were. His eyes traveled up like a thousand hands caressing over her pale legs and lingered on the inner workings of her thighs, letting his imagination take over for what he couldn't see.

"Kakashi?" Her voice snapped his eyes up to her face, washed free of all its makeup. Her big, slanted eyes glazed and sleepy and heavily cloaked by long dark lashes.

"Yeah, princess?" He replied hoarsely.

"Are you okay?" She slowly walked closer to the bed. "You look a little...ill all of a sudden."

"I'm fine." He watched, damn it, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Knowing there was nothing that would separate his hands from her flesh save the extra large linen night shirt she was wearing. No bra...no panties...

He sucked his breath in hard again when she climbed into bed beside him and crawled up the length of the mattress until she reached the pillows at the headboard. Lying down on her stomach and stretching out like a napping cat.

_Shit. _

His hands were twitching again, just dying to go to work on her. To wrap around her ankles and palm his way up her calve's, the back of her knees, those soft pale thighs to the tender flesh of her ass.

Kakashi just closed his eyes. Yeah, that's all he had to do. Close his eyes for a little while and get his thoughts in order. Christ, this was Akira's little sister here. Not to mention half drunk – he would have to have a long discussion with Tsunade in the morning if his assumption on her involvement in this mess was correct.

"Kakashi? Are you going to sleep here tonight?" Her soft voice cut through his barriers. "In this bed, I mean, with me?"

He didn't answer. He didn't look at her.

She bit her lip, afraid she had offended him in some way. Maybe he was mad because she was taking his bed? In her jumbled mind, somewhere in that mess, something told her that was the stupidest reason a person could come up with. That maybe she should be kicking him out of the bed – kicking him out of the room. But right now, her other scenario made perfect sense.

"I'm sorry for taking your bed.." She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, trying to work the tingling out of it. Burying her cheek further into the cushiony pillow under her head. "I'm not afraid of you, I mean, sometimes I am. But I won't be if you wanna sleep here," Her hand spread across the empty space next to her as she eyed him sitting at the foot of the bed. "I've never slept in a mans bed before," She rolled over onto her back and thought that maybe she had heard him groan. "Come to think of it, I've never actually slept with a man."

She saw his body stiffen and his head loll back into his shoulders.

He knew she hadn't meant those words the way he was interpreting them into. But it was too hard not to think of it with any other meaning.

"Would you stay if I asked it of you?" She sat up, her hair sliding over her body like a silken waterfall. There was aching silence in the room that followed her question.

_Just go_, he told himself over and over again. _Leave_. Walk out and don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way.

Ass. Her ass. Round and soft and writhing around on his bed in his shirt...

This was definitely not going well.

Her answer came when his hands lifted from his knees and began the slow process of unbuttoning his shirt.

Sakura's eyes suddenly grew wide and curious as she watched him. So very, very interested in every move he made. His broad shoulders bunching up as he shrugged the thing off his torso and tossed it to the floor, careless of its destination. His messy pale hair contrasting against the dark tan of his skin, tickling the back of his neck. Brushing over a faded tattoo that started at his nape and spread across his shoulders.

Kakashi forgot about everything. About Asuma waiting for him in the other room. About his promise to Akira. And for once, he forgot about his job. God, it had been so long since he'd even held a woman. Months, maybe...but to him it had felt like an eternity.

But she wasn't really a woman, was she? Or just a girl?

It all came to him in shocking clarity when he stood and started to lift the white wife beater tank he usually wore under his shirts and she gasped.

With her hand over her mouth, Sakura's eyes narrowed in shock at what she saw. _Good God_, she thought, what...what had happened to him?It looked as if a lawnmower had ran over his back several times. The scars, the ugly misshapen white lines twisting on his tan flesh. She put her other hand to her throat on a hard swallow and began to wish she hadn't let that gasp of surprise leave her mouth. Even with her eyes glazed over with the alcohol she had drank, she knew that all the hard liquor in the world couldn't have made her giggle at what she was seeing.

When he glanced over his shoulder, she quickly averted her eyes and looked away from him. Staring down at the bed.

She heard a dull kind of chuckle leave him as he slid the tank back down over his back. Apparently sparring her from the horrific sight. And that was just the tip of the iceberg, he shook his head, wait until she got a load of the front.

"What–"

"Don't worry about it." He cut her off as he reached for his belt and slid it from his waist as his shoes were kicked off his feet. He hesitated as he reached for the button on his pants before rethinking the idea of sleeping half naked with her. No, that wouldn't happen, he shouldn't have to worry about putting himself in that kind of situation with her and Kakashi made certain he kept his pants on for the night...and his shirt. Man, he didn't think he was ever going to forget that pitiful look she had given him once she got a good eyeful.

Ah, well, chicks dig scars...just not his scars.

He didn't get these from wrecking a motorcycle and joking about it to his buddies. He didn't get these from minor incidents and occurrences over the years, neither did he boast about them in phrases such as, '...yeah, got this one back in '83 wrestling that bull to the ground.'

No, his weren't those type of scars. His were...different.

As he came to his side of the bed, she watched him move. His body big and toned. His arms massive and muscled and marred, just not as deeply as his back had been. Even noticing more inking on his upper bicep, a tribal design from what she could gather of it. Shaking the images from her mind, she focused on him. She had seen pictures of shirtless men in fancy underwear magazines and catalogs, but never men like him. Never up close and personal. All raw power and thick, heavy weighted muscle under every inch of his skin. She had almost half expected him to be kinda chunky under those loose outfits he wore. But no, Kakashi looked like...like a sculpture. Albeit a rather lousily poised and slouching sculpture, but the lines were all there in fine clarity.

He sank down on the bed again, his back still facing her as his head sank low. His elbows returning to his knees as his hand rested on the back of his skull, scratching his scalp. This wasn't a good idea. He should just get up and leave. It was wrong, it was so damn wrong and inconvenient right now. But, damn, he was tired. And she was so beautiful sitting there he could hardly look to take his eyes off her, and that's just why he wouldn't look. She wasn't his to claim, never would be.

He listened to her move on the mattress, nothing more than the weight of a feather brushing across the sheets.

And then her hand touched his shoulder. And then moved to his neck. And then down his spine.

His eyes closed as he focused on the faint brush of her fingers. Sifting down to the hem of his tank and slipping her fingers inside. Her nails grazing his flesh.

Oh, god that felt good.

He groaned, his head growing more lax against his own hand and she snaked her other hand in along with the first. He grunted again and her palms splayed up his back, bringing the tank up along with them.

She moved in closer, so close he could smell her perfume, filling his lungs with the branding scent.

"Kakashi," She whispered in his ear, one thin finger tracing the line of a particularly long scar. She leaned in a fraction more and when he felt the press of her breasts on his shoulders...her nipples suddenly puckering beneath the linen shirt, the strain in his pants nearly became too much to bear.

His hand stopped her, reaching back and taking her wrist hostage as he pulled his tank back down over his torso. Creating a barrier between them. With a blazing look in his eyes she didn't understand, he leaned back into the bed and took her along with him. Pulling her close and petting her hair in slow undiluted strokes.

She studied him with bright, willing eyes as he put an arm around her petite shoulders and let his head fall into the pillows beneath them. Her mouth opened, ready to question him, ask him things. She was so interested in the odd feeling encompassing her, so curious about his body and how different it was from hers. She was fairly certain of all the _how_'s, right now she wanted to learn all the _why_'s.

"Go to sleep, Sakura." His brought a thick lock of her hair to his lips, almost kissing it. But nothing so intimate, just feeling it on his skin was enough to sate him. "Just...go to sleep."

And she did easily enough, the alcohol in her blood taking efficient effect on her limbs. Making her weak and worn. Tired and weary. Her eyes heavy and fighting to remain open until she threw the losing battle to the wind and drifted away. Her pink head resting limply on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heart finally pushing her over the edge.

Kakashi too closed his eyes, hoping that maybe tonight sleep would not elude him so viciously. That maybe, just maybe, he would be able to find peace in his dreams.

-----

**Sorry 'bout the wait. And please don't hassle me about what's the appropriate drinking age in Japan or any other country, for that matter. I'm in America and here it's 21. I'm too lazy to look it up and I'm too careless to give a damn. **


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**...**

'_Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean._'

-David Searls

...

"_Had enough yet, cop?" Zabuza asked after yet another grueling slug to his victim's face. "Or have you finally sprouted some brains and decided to talk, eh?" He bent down and captured a bruised, limp jaw until they were staring eye to eye. _

_A young Hatake Kakashi returned the stare with equal determination and even colder eyes. His body was shaking and aching in all the wrong places. _

"_What the hell is wrong with this guy?" Another voice said from the dark shadows around them. _

"_Nothing," Zabuza smirked. "Absolutely nothing." He straightened his back as he stood erect in the center of the abandoned lot. A dim fluorescent bulb flickered over their heads, the soft trickling of dripping water was draining from a leaky pipe on the wall. Loud, thumping beats echoed in from the ceiling above, leading Kakashi to believe they were beneath a club – devil have him if he even knew which one. "We just haven't worked him long enough." _

_Kakashi heard the other guy sigh impatiently, then paused to check his watch before he said, "It's been nearly twelve hours since you started. Get on with it already. We do have a schedule to keep, you know." _

"_Shut up, Zouri." Zabuza suddenly hissed over his shoulder. "One of these fuckers screwed me over and I swear I'm gonna find out just exactly which one it was before I kill 'em." Kakashi grunted as he, for the hundredth time, tested the binds keeping his wrists locked to the arms of his imprisoning chair. He sat, naked, unable to move his restrained limbs or barely lift his head. His face was swollen and cracked open in the most unlikely of places. _

_Despite himself, Kakashi found it within his good nature to lift the corner of his lip at the man. "That sure is a cute shirt you got there, Zabuza." He rasped out. "Strangest thing, I could've swore I saw this adorable gay couple wearing the same–" He was backhanded before the rest of the sentence could be uttered from his busted lips. Coughing and spitting out another hefty hunk of blood in the process. _

"_Bring me the nails," Zabuza ordered the other man. _

"_Man, do you honestly think he's gonna squeal with the nails if the knife didn't even work?" The guy remarked with a yawn. Kakashi stole a short glance at the steak knife – a fucking _steak _knife – that Zabuza had thrown to the floor after he finished the turkey carving job he'd done on his back. Sitting in a shallow pool of grease and his own red blood that had been soaking his heels for the past couple hours. His nostrils flared, remembering how that was nothing compared to the garden pick they'd nearly gutted him with, only to close him back up with a staple gun to keep abdomen from busting open again. _

_Zabuza, who must have read his thoughts after following his gaze said, "Yeah, we're pretty primeval around here, huh, Hatake?" with a touch of dry humor. "Ah, well, it worked pretty good on the last bastard we had down here." He shook his head in mock sorrow at his failed attempts thus far and pulled a long strip of fabric from his pocket. _

"_Just break his feet," Zouri suggested. "That usually gets their mouths running." _

"_Done it, didn't work." _

"_Oh," The guy glanced down at the gnarled and twisted bones of Kakashi's feet and toes, black and blue. Scratching his scalp through the black beanie on his head. His straight brown hair popping out from under the hat to fall on his shoulders like stiff stalks of a cheap hay wig._

"_Zouri," He called irritably, wrapping the material around Kakashi's mouth. Proceeding to pull it so tight it shredded the corners of his lips as he tied it at the nape of his neck, knotting in some of his hair. It wasn't the first time he'd become acquainted with the gag that night."The nails." He ordered again._

"_Yeah, whatever," Zouri said as he moved out of the shadows and retrieved two long, thin nails from a nearby table and picked up a hammer to bring to his overseer."The cop in the other room won't open his mouth, either. I say you just off the guy and be done with it." Zouri didn't even flinch when Zabuza jerked a nail from his grasp with a vicious glare. "You're just wasting your time, if you ask me."_

"_I didn't ask you." Zabuza reminded him. "Now, you take the left." He gestured to Kakashi's left side and took the hammer away from his partner. _

"_Hey, damn it, why do you always get the hammer?" _

"_Shut up, idiot." Zabuza slapped him on the back of the head._

_Kakashi didn't fare too well in his struggle to loosen his binds again, he was just too weak to try anymore, not to mention the ropes they had tied him with were slicing through his skin like barbed wire. They stepped in closer and Kakashi took a deep breath, readying himself for round seven with dumb and dumber. He tried not to think of what _their _third partner in crime was currently doing to _his _partner in justice on the other side of that concrete wall covered in graffiti. Half an hour ago Kakashi had heard a drill being fired up and some nasty screams, but it had been pretty quiet since then...he could only wonder if his partner was even still alive. _

"_You could make things much easier if you'd just talk, kid." Zouri said – which was quite contradictory, Zouri looked to be only two or three years older than Kakashi. He growled. God, he hated it when people called him a kid. He was nearly twenty-three, a capable adult in his own eyes, not an invalid child. "He's gonna kill the both of ya either way."_

_Kakashi didn't look at either of them, giving them his answer with extensive silence. _

"_One more time, cop," Zabuza kneeled down next to him, getting up in is face. "Which one of you killed my boy?" _

_Kakashi's dark eyes drifted over to his tormentor and managed a 'fuck you' through his tight gag. _

"_Have it your way, then." Zabuza said and nodded to his accomplice. _

_They brought the long pins to the tips of his fingers and positioned the tapered ends at the crevice under his nails. Zabuza taking Kakashi's pinky on his right hand and Zouri taking the index of his left. Together, with deliberate slowness, Zabuza hammered the metal between the flesh of Kakashi's finger and the nail while Zouri simply pushed his nail in with a twisting, grinding motion._

_The hair on the back of Kakashi's neck stood on end as pain shot up his arms and down his spine. Letting out a howl of agony as they moved on to the next appendage...and the next...and the next. _

_They took their time, working each fingernail over at least four times before they finally grew tired of the game and threw the resourceful tools to the side. His nails were mangled and torn, no longer a healthy peach color, but a deep purple hue that seeped minute drops of thick blood. _

"_Damn it," Zabuza cursed under his breath at yet another failed ploy. Eyeing him up and down until his cold eyes landed on Kakashi's crotch. "We could always cut his balls off." _

_Kakashi's gut clenched. His knees reflexively squeezing together. _

"_I have an even better idea," Zouri smirked as he bent down to retrieve the serrated knife Zabuza had abandoned on the floor earlier in his torture. He carefully picked the thing up with his thumb and index fingers before brining it up to swipe some of the grease and blood on his pants until the grip was no longer gritty and slippery. "Tell me, cop," Zouri smiled brightly. "How important are those eyes of yours to ya?" He winked._

_Kakashi swallowed convulsively, coughing when he got a chunk of cotton stuck in his throat. Making Zouri laugh cheerfully as if it amused him. _

_Without hesitation, Zouri straddled him and took a thick wad of his pale hair in his fist to snap Kakashi's head back. "Last chance?" He offered, but gave him a pitiful look when Kakashi only snarled at him, refusing to admit to a crime he didn't commit. "Too bad," He sighed. "Those are some pretty eyes you've got there – er, I mean they _were _some pretty eyes." Zouri laughed at his little joke. "Don't reckon they'll look so good after your old friend here gets done with them, eh? How about I let you two get reacquainted with one another." He patted Kakashi's cheek roughly and brought the familiar knife into view for a painful reintroduction. _

_With a quick, efficient jab, Zouri gave his left eye a short poke with the tip of the blade. _

_Kakashi growled like a caged animal through his gag and flinched away, but Zouri wrapped his fingers tightly around his broken jaw and forced him into place, easily subduing him when he applied pressure on the cracked portion of the bone. He tried to keep his eyes squinted shut, but Zabuza supplied an extra pair of hands and held his lid open with a single finger. Allowing Zouri to resume jabbing the dirty point into the white of his eye a couple more times before finally stabbing though the cornea and burying it deep in his dark pupil to twist it ninety degrees. _

_Kakashi threw his head back on a thick, throaty cry that echoed all the way down to the pits of hell. His body shivered as he felt tears stinging the cuts on his cheeks and his gut started to churn with bile. His chest heaving as his eye already began to swell. _

"_Hang on there, tough guy," Zouri chuckled. "I ain't done yet." He lifted Kakashi's lid again and with one slow sweep, he slid the jagged blade from his brow, over the thin skin of his eyelid a couple of times until it started to slice open, through the oozing mess of his eye and finally stopped short just above his cheek bone. His body lurched, trying to escape the pain. "Want me to pop it out of socket?" He asked over his shoulder, appraising his own handy work, trying to decide if he should take another swipe over Kakashi's lid with the dulling blade. _

"_Hell if I care." Zabuza answered offhandedly. And just as Zouri started to go to work on his new task for the other eye, Zabuza stopped him and said, "No, wait. I think I have something I want him to see first." Kakashi felt a cold chill going down his spine, a terrible feeling washing over him as he watched Zabuza open the door of the wall that separated him from his partner. "Bring him in here, Waraji." _

"_Sure thing," He heard a voice reply. _

_A few moments later a tall tattooed man ushered in yet another naked prisoner through the door and into the dingy space that had been home for the past twenty four hours. His wrists tied tightly at his back. A thick, heavy flow of fresh blood still dripping out of his mouth and down his chin. _

_Kakashi had to blink hard through the haze of his watery eye. Damn, they'd done one hell of a number on him. Both of them, judging by the holes that bastard had drilled in Obito's forearms. His body looked just as defiled and beaten as his own. His dark, usually springy hair, was drenched in water and plastered to his face – as if they'd been spraying him with a water hose for several hours. Probably freezing water too, as blue as Obito's skin was, Kakashi thought bitterly._

"_Mr. Uchiha," Zabuza began with a wry grin. "Why the long face?" He gently patted his broad shoulder and Obito grimaced in pain. Despite having his hands behind his back, his arm seemed to flap around lifelessly, obviously it had been dislocated and had yet to be reset. Kakashi watched Zabuza with a narrowed eye as he picked up what looked to be a crow bar and stepped closer to Obito. Placing a hand on the back of his neck to bring him closer for a little chat, petting him in a deceptively comforting manner."You really shouldn't be so grumpy. You're friend Mr. Hatake over there has been having the time of his life. A real screamer." He laughed as he took a step back and swung the bar across his shoulder blade. Hard enough to make Obito fall to his knees and groan as he felt the bone shatter. _

_He heard Obito gurgling something, but nothing so much as an distinguishable word left his lips. _

"_What's the matter?" Zabuza knelt down beside him, a sick kind of look gleaming in his eyes. "Cat got your tongue?" He pinched his cheek. "Or maybe my friend Waraji took care of that for you?" He laughed again pinched his cheek even harder, pulling the skin until Obito was finally forced to open his mouth. _

_Kakashi nearly had to look away as Obito spat out another chunk of blood. The bastard had cut out his tongue. _

"_Hn," Zabuza suddenly frowned and pushed himself from the floor. Brushing off his clothes and wiping his hands. "Seeing as your partner seems to have misplaced his tongue, I guess the rest is up to you, Hatake. One of you murdered my son and I'd like to know just exactly which one of you it was before the night is over."_

_Kakashi and Obito shared a brief glance with one another, both giving the other a knowing smirk. Certain that neither had ratted out the other for accusations neither had been guilty of. _

_Zabuza, witnessing this exchange of looks, grit his teeth and nodded to Waraji. Hoping his next move would push them beyond reason to commit to a confession. "If neither of you will sing," He contended with bitter sarcasm. "Then you'll hang." A strange kind of expression flared in his eyes. The madman almost looked...sad. But the look dissipated with a quick blink and the cold emptiness usually associated with his persona overcame his features once more. "A life for a life. Considering how quick of a death it'll be doesn't seem quite fair enough to me." They all watched as Waraji slung a rope over one of the many supporting beams above them. "So, Mr. Uchiha, how would you like to volunteer to go first. Hatake here only has one good eye left before we take care of that little problem. And being as how he's the only one with a tongue left to speak, he might just crack with some proper encouragement."_

_Kakashi struggled against the plain fact that he couldn't set himself free. His heart raced faster now than it had all night as he watched Zouri and Waraji take Obito by the arms and usher him to stand on an old rusty chair under the grim rope hanging from above. His partner was barely able to put up a fight with his wrists tied, his arm and shoulder broken and his body weakened. The muscles in his thighs and calves tensed and strained as he braced against the direction they were leading him. _

"_Make sure to brace the knot at the base of his neck, not the side. I want him to suffocate slowly, not snap his neck." Zabuza ordered with a frown. _

_Kakashi strived harder to loosen his binds. The adrenaline pumped through his veins like a morphine, knowing the fate of his friend was lost to these criminals. His body began to shake with his effort to change their circumstances, knowing it was all useless. Knowing, for once, Kakashi did not have the upper hand. He had absolutely no control, no say in the matter of life or death. His throat constricted when he watched Zouri slide the rope over Obito's head to wrap around his neck. _

_He strained against his gag, his tongue pushing hard on the cotton to maneuver it out of his mouth with little success. He would talk, he'd say anything to make them stop. Even if it wasn't the truth, if he could save his partners life it would be worth it. He'd admit to a sin that wasn't his. _

"_What's this?" Zabuza smirked triumphantly, quickly walking over to remove the tight strip of fabric from Kakashi's burden. "Is there something you would like to share?" _

_Kakashi took a deep breath, his glare was a promise of death to come if he ever found freedom from this night. "I..." He began, stealing a glance at his friend before lowering his head in defeat. "I did–"_

"_Don't..." A pathetic gurgle interrupted his confession. Kakashi's eye shot up to Obito, standing on the chair, shaking his head. "Don't," He mumbled again, a little more coherently, a ridiculous amount of blood spilling from his lips as he did so. Zabuza snorted and Kakashi's face twisted into something sorrowful as he turned his head away from the other men in the room, attempting to hide the fact that he was nearly on the verge of tears. They were going to be killed either way, that was true. But he wanted to try, at least, to stop them. He didn't want Obito to die like this, Kakashi didn't want to die like this. But if he conceded, Zabuza would have won. _

_And just like that, Kakashi understood Obito's plea. They may let Zabuza have the satisfaction of torturing and killing them, but they would never give him the glory of an admission. _

"_I..." He began again with some degree of trouble, his jaw was loose and pained as he raised his head. "I was just wondering...do you wax or shave your eyebrows?" He smirked and heard Obito suddenly laugh from his chair. _

_A new kind of fury washed over Zabuza's pale face. "Fuck you, cop!" He boomed, lashing out at Kakashi's face again with assault after assault of brutal punches. Nearly tossing the chair off balance. "You think this is funny?" He bared his teeth and Kakashi groaned as his face finally, thankfully, fell numb. He couldn't even tell if his mouth was open or closed now. He couldn't even feel the blood melting down his face like streams of sweat. _

_Zabuza turned on his heel, shaking his fist as he wiped the blood off his knuckles. "You know what I think is funny?" He said with wild eyes, his chest heaving in some wicked displace of anger. "This," He raised his foot and kicked the legs of the chair out from under Obito's feet. "Is funny." He laughed madly, his lips in a wide smile as he watched Obito's body drop. His feet dangling only a foot above the floor. Kakashi suddenly felt the burning acid of vomit threatening his throat. "It's fucking hilarious!" He laughed harder, observing Obito sway slowly back and forth from the rope. His face turning from red to blue to purple, his body jerking. The rope taught around the skin of his neck, his dark hair falling over his eyes. His toes squirming and reaching for the ground that he would never touch again._

_A cell phone went off somewhere in the room, but Kakashi didn't even notice. His eyes were plastered to the horror scene hanging before him. _

_He stared with the only good eye he had left as his best friends body gradually stopped convulsing. Memories flooded him, remembering the good times and the bad that had passed between them. Days in highschool, years in college and their time together on the force. The day him and Kakashi had fought over a girl, and the day Obito had married that girl – his highschool sweetheart. _

_Kakashi couldn't remember crying since the day he turned six. But when he witnessed the final twitch of life leave Obito's body, his eyes frozen wide in death and his face a disgusting color of paper white, Kakashi felt his lungs constrict. He looked away as tears started to flow uncontrollably, unable to look upon his dead partner a moment longer. _

"_Yo, Zabuza," Zouri interrupted his sick moment of satisfaction. "Gato just called, he needs us on the West side, like pronto." He said urgently. "Finish up here and I'll go get the car, okay?" When Zabuza nodded without protest, Zouri and Waraji left the empty lot together, shrouding the place in silence. That is, until Zabuza started laughing again. _

"_So, cop," Zabuza reached behind him to pull a gun from his back holster. "How's it feel?" He asked as he came closer. "Is it still funny? Does it make you want to laugh now?" He chuckled and aimed the barrel between Kakashi's eyes. _

_Kakashi held his gaze, ready for the shot and the consuming darkness that was sure to follow. He frowned when Zabuza hesitated longer than he should have, then slowly lowered his sights to Kakashi's stomach. "Better yet, I'll let you bleed to death. That'll give you plenty of time to catch up with your...significant other, over there." He gestured over his shoulder to Obito's swaying corpse. Leaning in over his weak body, Zabuza pressed the pistol's cold metal just above his navel and whispered in Kakashi's ear. "I want you to stare at him until your last second, until you take your last breath. That image of him hanging there in your mind frozen in death. Knowing you could have prevented it if only you'd have spoken up sooner."_

_Kakashi's body trembled, his hands itching to feel the skin of Zabuza's neck tight in his palms, suffocating him the way they had done to Obito. _

"_You might want to go ahead and shoot me in the head," He whispered back. "I have this bad habit of not dying when idiots like you intend me to just..._suffer_." He relaxed back into the chair_ _with a solid air of indifference about him. "There may come a day when you'll regret it." Their eyes locked and a message was left suspended in the air between them – letting Zabuza know when that day came Satan would have nothing on Kakashi's wrath of vengeance. _

"_I look forward to the day." Zabuza replied with equal threat, jabbed the barrel deeper into Kakashi's stomach and pulled the trigger, point blank range. _

_The recoil rocked through Zabuza's arm as he drew back. Kakashi released a howl of explicative's_ _when he felt the bullet exit through his back, a clean break. Missing his spinal cord, judging by the feeling he still had in his legs and feet. _

_An engine was heard in the distance and then a horn calling out to Zabuza, signaling his lift had arrived. _

"_There's my ride," He patted Kakashi's head, ruffling his matted hair. Taking extra effort to irritate the cuts they had made in his scalp with razors. Kakashi swallowed hard, biting back another cry of pain from the hole in his gut. The blood poured out none too slowly, saturating his lap. "It was nice knowing ya, cop." He said sarcastically. "Take it easy." Zabuza saluted him farewell with his gun as he turned to leave. "Hang in there, buddy," He slapped Obito's limp shoulder as he passed the body. "You'll get company soon." _

"_I'll see you in hell, Zabuza!" Kakashi roared at Zabuza's back, retreating into the dark shadows. Cursing the man long after he was gone. "I'll see you...in...fucking hell!" He coughed, barely able to catch his own breath, his voice hoarse with unshed tears and dry fuzz from his cotton gag. _

_A car door was slammed and he listened as the engine hummed, the noise fading as they drove away. _

_Kakashi stared down at his gushing wound, a copious amount of blood leaking from his stomach. Shooting out in small spurts in time with his slowing heartbeat. "Damn it, Obito." He cursed under his breath. "Damn it all." So this is what it had all come down to? He had fifteen minutes, twenty tops, before there was any blood left in him at all. _

"_I could use a drink or two," He said to his friend, but there was no reply. "Shit, you'd think we'd have been smart enough to get out of this one, eh? Guess not." He paused to hiss as a particularly sharp pain shot up his back. "If I make it out of this, Uchiha, I promise I'll take care of Rin for you. But I don't think...I don't think I'll be cheating death tonight." Kakashi recognized the signs immediately. The hesitation to breath, the tunnel vision, the numbness. His head felt light and dizzy and everything started hazing into a soft white. The cold, clammy hands of the reaper was wrapping tightly around his body. "You know...you know that time I told you it was Genma who knocked you out at the bar on New Years Eve?" He laughed pathetically. "Well, I...I lied. It was me – you were just too damn drunk to remember anything." His head lolled back loosely against the chair, like a swinging door on a loose hinge. His eyes rolling to the back of his head. "Or the time you totaled your new truck, I never told you I cut the brakes." One corner of his lips turned up humorously. "Serves you right, you bastard, for stealing my girlfriend." Kakashi clenched his teeth as his lungs suddenly constricted, making breathing harder than it should have been._

_He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears, only the beat was soft and slow. Steadily declining as the minutes passed. "God," He groaned. "This whole dying thing kinda sucks." He complained as an uncomfortable shiver accosted his skin. Trying to push away the rising feelings of sudden inadequacy, unable to pull a Houdini in this haywire act._

"_We were supposed to fly to the beach this year, remember? Put away the whiskey and beer until we were flat out drunk on our ass's. It took nearly a month to trick Hayate into giving us some vacation time. What a tight ass. Ah, well, we'll get another chance soon enough." A sense of emptiness washed over Kakashi the moment he felt his heart finally stop and he closed his eyes. It wasn't as bad as what he'd expected, just like passing out when he'd had too much to drink. Drifting away into unconsciousness until everything was black. It made things easier really, thinking back on those happy times and the days that would have been, now never will become. It was better to reminisce than to regret._

"_Soon enough...just give me a few more minutes." He couldn't take another breath, not that he didn't want to, but his body refused to. As if he'd been tranquilized. Kakashi didn't panic, although he knew he should have. He was just...calm. "I'll be there...just...just a few..." _

_He always had been a little late getting to places..._

_Hatake Kakashi succumbed to death that night at exactly one fifty-four a.m. _

_Presuming, with little doubt, that it was the end of his life. _

_._

He awoke in a cold sweat. His brain awake, but his body still stuck in that annoying realm between reality and dream. His was heart beating out in a painful staccato against his chest, pounding for release from its cage of humanity.

Kakashi's skin was on fire and his eyes were burning with what he hoped was just stray beads of sweat, not the sting of unshed tears. He closed his eyes, rested his arm against his forehead and sighed so shakily the room nearly spun around him.

He'd lost a lot that day...

A friend. A partner. Half his sanity. Half his vision. He'd even been pronounced dead at some point.

God, he wanted a drink right now. But that was all the way across the penthouse to the kitchen, so far away. He just needed something, anything, to forget the past and escape the nightmares. Alcohol, a smoke...even a hit of coke would suffice. Just to remind him that all was dead and gone and remained in the past. He needed to point that out to himself again that he should move on with life, even though the nauseating memories were revived and relived by his dreams night after night.

But that's just the way things worked for him. It usually didn't bother him too much, except on nights like this one – which were occurring more and more frequently. He also knew better than to try to banish the nightmares with the accompaniment of drugs. The result usually made things worse and left him paranoid half the time...and wigging out like crazy the next day. A bad trip and an even worse hangover.

He shifted to move out of the bed, ready to give way to temptation and retrieve the liquor bottle from the kitchen cabinet...feeling pathetic and weak and empty when he _knew _he was stronger than this. Alcohol was definitely something he'd grown attached to these past twelve years, coincidentally he'd picked up the habit the few months after Obito was killed simply doing his job(that is to say, he began drinking more than his norm). He had wasted all his second chances, there was nothing much left for him except his job and the bottle. The only distraction that kept him trudging along, that kept him living – or more precisely, kept him _from _living.

And he did love his job. Nothing felt quite as gratifying as bringing all those crazed criminals in off the street. Keeping civilians safe and bringing down drug lords like Orochimaru certainly did something for his conscience...but it had a whole other affect for personal life. Or lack thereof.

He kept his relationships brief and at arms length. Women were a liability to him, thus lessening the need to have them getting involved in his life. Especially after Rin moved away...and he couldn't go with her. She had almost begged him come with her. But his job prevented it, and above all else, his first commitments were to his job. His job _always _came first. No matter that he had wanted to be with his ex-girlfriend/deceased partners widow/girlfriend again. Badly.

And that was the second instance in which he had failed Uchiha Obito. He'd broken his promise of watching over his widow after he died. Oh, sure, he fancied she was out there somewhere doing just fine and dandy. She was a very capable woman, after all.

But that was missing the point.

The point was that Kakashi wasn't there for Rin when she needed him to be. Just another person in his life that he'd let down miserably...

Kakashi shook the thoughts from his head and tried to run his fingers through his hair, catching on a few knots. When he tried to sit up, there was a weight atop him. Feather light and soft and warm. So very feminine.

He froze for a moment, trying to remember what woman he had brought home tonight and from which bar he had picked her up.

When he couldn't recall her name, he wondered if he should wake her before he left to escort her out the door...the last time he left a strange woman in his bed after a night of passion, it had resulted with him losing half the property inside his apartment back home(his real home) not this fancy bullshit Genma had hooked him up with at the expense of Jiraiya. Not that the old fart couldn't afford it, Jiraiya's pocket was even bigger than Ino's ego.

Kakashi glanced at his window, there was no light creeping in between the blinds. It must still be late. And suddenly, Kakashi was thinking of a better, more pleasing way to drown out his feelings of inadequacy(even if he didn't recall making love to her earlier in the night, an act he was likely to have done). Kakashi Hatake didn't share a bed with a woman without having seduced her there first. He couldn't bring himself to care who the woman on top of him was, instead, he could only know of who he had _wanted _the stranger to be.

He closed his eyes without shame and let his own wicked fantasies take over.

He wanted her to have crazy pink hair and exotic green eyes. He wanted her to have the curves of the current top model of Jiraiya's company. He wanted her to have the tongue of a viper and all the hidden charms of a mother hen that she tried so hard to disguise from him. He wanted her to be naive and yet so damned smart she could outwit the devil. He wanted said girl to see him for the man he really was, not the monster she was playing him out to be.

But, then again, maybe he really didn't want her to know the real Hatake Kakashi. She may be more disgusted with the true picture of himself that he would present to her. No doubt, the image would not consist of butterflies and puffy clouds or squirrels wearing tea bags(_fashion statement of the year_).

He moved again and the figure above responded lightly. Snuggling closer to the heat of his body.

He raised his hands, slowly running them up her back and over smooth thin arms. No indication of a response other than a shiver. So, the woman was still asleep. He didn't want her to be asleep, because she would prove a wonderful substitute to the bottle...and, after all, the bottle was so very far away. She was already within his reach, already in his bed and already pressed delightfully close to his chest.

With a pathetically desperate second in his life, he took a ragged breath and turned her over gently. Lying her back carefully on the mattress beneath them.

He found her mouth and kissed her then, recklessly. With abandon and not a care to waking her softly. He wanted her awake, he wanted her to respond wildly. He wanted to get the guilty image of a dead past out of his mind. He wanted to quench the urge that a sexy, vindictive girl had aroused in him.

He rolled onto the woman as she gasped in bewilderment. His weight pressing down on her.

She was conscious now.

Good.

Mission one, accomplished.

His lips kept her silent, remaining rough and uncordial. His mouth caught her frantic, panicky gasps. And his tongue divested in just how wonderful she tasted. The likes of which he was certain he had never known, driving him mad, insane with lust. Strange, though, one would think he should remember previously kissing such a delicate mouth. So smooth, like silk, his tongue slid across hers. Deeper into the narrow crevice of her mouth. Not caring. Only taking, not giving in his passions.

His hands took her thighs and spread them widely apart almost violently, ready to be done with it. To release his tensions.

She started to protest and he subdued her with his weight, with his mouth and with his hands as he settled between her legs.

Like the gruff, barbaric nature that had nested within his heart in the heated moments, he thrust with all the intentions of entering her...only his pants were still secured about his waist. How odd...and how very bizarre that he should overlooked that important obstacle in his frenzy.

The reaction was amazing in its entirety, however, as the woman beneath him broke contact of his mouth to cry out.

The pitch in the cry of that voice was vaguely familiar, so soft and so damned sweet that he had to hear it again. And so he thrust again, just as before, as if he were diving into her body. Short and hard and jostling enough to rock the bed against the wall.

She gave him that gloriously sweet cry again. And he did it again, over and over like a bad habit. His hands delved down grip the hem of what seemed to be one of his own linen shirts. With a quick, harsh tug, the thing was shoved over her breasts. Tucked somewhere beneath her arms and under her chin.

He stared like a dumbstruck fool at the twin globes that bounced and glowed in the scant light seeping in through the draperies from outside street lamps. Arching toward him as her back curled into him upon another thrust of his hips. So familiar looking were those beautiful breasts...

"_Kakashi_,"

Oh, dear god...

Sakura.

Her moan could have sent him over the edge of sanity and reason and of pleasure. The sound could of had him overlooking the fact that he'd been foolish enough to forget it was _her_(a half drunk girl who had her objectives set for his bloody, excruciating extermination)who was in his bed, and continue from this point on with a delirious night of uncontrolled raging sex that even the most carnally sophisticated gods of his favorite porno's could not produce.

_But_. That would have defeated the purpose of making the honorable decision to keep his pants on when he had lay down beside her for sleep tonight.

Yeah, this was not exactly what he had been expecting.

Given his unfortunate circumstances, however, he stopped immediately.

He gripped at her shoulders, pulling her further down the mattress until she was out of reach of the shadows lingering over the pillow where her head rested. Until she was bathed in enough light that he could see that wild rosette hair, shocked face, glazed eyes and swollen mouth.

What had he done?

Kakashi cursed miserably and pulled the shirt down to cover her exposed body shivering beneath him, lowering his head to her shoulder in absolute defeat. Hanging it there shamefully, compared to the lack of shame he felt only moments prior, it was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on his head...which he wouldn't have minded at the moment. He groaned, only it was a sound of pure self-loathing and hatred, not satisfaction. Had he become that lowly? Had he lost all of his morals and sense of mind to be so inattentive and heedless? Kakashi made another pitiful sound, so strained that it could have made any condemned demon pity him.

Nothing was said for an extended period time. He truly didn't know what to say after being so blind. He hadn't done it outright, he'd thought she was someone else entirely. Er, _despite _the fact that it was Sakura who he had been fantasizing about. He thought she was a woman he didn't even know, and that fact alone spoke for his character – to have bedded with women who were nothing but strangers to him seemed to make him...unworthy of Sakura.

Notwithstanding her flamboyant claims of seduction and embellishment that she had mastered over the male of her species and then the strange retraction she had made to that claim by announcing that she had never actually slept in the same bed with a man before, changed nothing for the circumstances. It did nothing for his sudden foul mood, either.

Whether she was the most sophisticated of woman, or nothing more than a fresh country bumpkin was irrelevant. Sakura and sex were off limits to him, like business and pleasure, it didn't mix well. It just wasn't allowed.

A part of him was disappointed in her – yet, at the same time awed. Unless she was the worlds greatest actress, her gasps had told him she vastly enjoyed what little lesson in love making he had just expounded upon her. But that deep expression of detest in her eyes had proved she was frightened. And that the clear cutting reality of what he really was to her was still tarrying in her mind.

That mixture of fear and hate and allure he'd surely stirred within her yet again had boggled her mind. Making her want to go further, justifying it in her mind by way of vengeance...she just didn't understand that in this world, sex didn't always get a girl what she wanted. It didn't get her closer to the type of man she presumed him to be, it only got her laid. If he was the terrible tyrant that she truly believed, if she expected to gain any sort of information by sleeping with him, if she'd thought he was going to open up and share his deepest darkest secrets of 'murder' and 'betrayal' and 'drugs' and such things to get in on the action of the underworld herself...she was sadly mistaken.

He couldn't solely blame her, though. He'd encouraged it. He toyed with her emotions, with her body. Touching her and luring her in with innuendo's of the sensual sort. Giving her the impression that he wanted her, which in truth, was no lie. But it was wrong for her to do this to herself. Sacrificing herself to the wolves for leeway to the same underworld that her brother had gotten entangled within.

Kakashi had compromised Akira in that particular mess, inevitably bringing about his death. He'd be damned if he did the same to Sakura.

He looked down at her, those green eyes shimmering. He had lit a spark in her, awoken her body, but the idea didn't please him in the way he would have liked. Because he also saw the hesitation in the way she held herself, her arms wrapped tightly around her breasts though they were no longer exposed. Yes, a part of her was disgusted with herself just as much as he was with himself.

A man seducing a woman whom he had no right to touch. And a woman seducing a man whom she hated.

They were both liars.

"I didn't know–" He began, knowing how ridiculous the claim would be that he hadn't known it was her when _he _was the one who tucked her into this bed himself. But his mind had been jumbled, knocked off balance by that dream, as was the usual case. Those reoccurring glimpses of the past always did serve to confuse him, especially so late at night on such a lacking amount of sleep...not to mention all the stress on his shoulders. But he wouldn't complain about that, he never complained. He had no right on that matter, he was still alive and breathing, so there was nothing that would rightfully or logically justify dissatisfaction with his life. "I thought you were someone else."

In an odd moment, she leaned forward as if to press her lips to his. Telling him it was okay to kiss her, that she wouldn't be angry or upset with him as she usually did.

Strange, though, he didn't see a hint of malice in her eyes. No dark intent to bed her siblings murderer, to seduce him, to compromise him while he was unawares. Rather, there was only curious desire, wondering why he had stopped.

But he turned away, refusing her. And when he had denied her a kiss just then, the deep, cutting pain in her eyes did not go unnoticed.

"You would kiss a woman in the dark, without knowing her name or seeing her face – a total _stranger_ – rather than you would kiss me?" She caught onto the situation quickly enough. There was anger in that voice, threat and danger. There was also hurt and rejection.

He said nothing. Best for her to hate him ever the more. Give her greater reason to leave, to reject her and send her home with empty hands. Don't give her what she wanted. Maybe it really wasn't too late for her to get out of the snake pit.

Kakashi wasn't going to keep repeating his mistakes, he could change things with this girl. Perhaps redeem a little fraction of his soul. He'd broken promises made to Obito – resulting in chasing Rin away. He'd failed Sasuke – at first assuming he was dead because of Kakashi's decision to send him into Orochimaru's hands, but instead resulting in a tragic downfall. And so far, he was failing Akira – putting Sakura in the path of danger and leading her on with intimate touches and heated glances. Only fueling her illusion of successful steps closer to her goal of revenge.

He stood and grabbed the shirt he'd tossed to the floor and pulled it over the tank he was already wearing, trying to remain cold and withdrawn. Genma would hate him, but Kakashi wanted her gone. He refused to look at her on the bed as she gathered the blankets about her body and bundled up in a tight ball. Not so much as saying a word as he headed for the exit from the room.

Kakashi paused at the door, trying to ignore the faint echo of muted sobs carrying to his ears from the bed. But it was impossible to not acknowledge those heart wrenching noises that nearly made his chest constrict. He told himself there was nothing to regret and cursed under his breath at what a fool he was. And an ass. And impertinent jerk.

He closed the door behind him as he left the room, sighing as he ran a stray hand through his tangled hair again, only this time his hand was shaking. He saw Ino wrapped in a blanket on his couch, snoring softly. Tsunade on a pouch of blankets on the floor and...

"I never really took you as the 'dastardly' type of guy, Kakashi." Asuma exhaled a long puff of smoke. "Asshole, sure. A bit of a loser at times, but honorable none the less."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kakashi was in no mood for a qualm now, friendly or not. This late in the night and after what had just happened, his temper(that usually didn't even exist) had been stirred. Although, his slight anger was directed more at the plight he'd created for himself. Kakashi stole a quick glance at the clock. Four. Damn, barely an hour of pathetically uneasy sleep had just ended on a low note with a beautiful girl in his bed. And by the evil eye Asuma was giving him, he had a feeling it was about to get lower.

Wonderful.

"She's a good girl and you know it. It's cruel to take advantage of that," Asuma said in a reasonable voice, but still maintained that edge of disappointment and unapproving nick in his tone that was just deep enough to leave a sizable cut. "And the kind of trauma she's been through? She's only trying to do justice against a man who she believes has wronged her. She's desperate, she's confused and she's young. It gives you no right to–"

"I _didn't_ fuck her,"

"Didn't sound like that from in here," He commented as he put his cigarette out in a tray. Reclining further in the leather chair that sat by the couch Ino was currently taking up residence upon.

Kakashi took an ominous step closer, a part of him bristling in his own defense. Offended at the bad portrait Asuma was painting him out to be. What a hypocrite Asuma was turning out to be, himself. One second he was wagging his eyebrows at Kakashi, wanting to know what kind of action he'd gotten out of the girl. And the next he was trying to protect her like his own daughter. "I said, I didn't fuck her."

"Ah, but you want to, don't you?" He shook his head and pulled out another cigarette to suck on. "I can easily see why she would tempt you. But let me warn you, Hatake," Asuma, too, leaned forward in his seat Bracing his elbows on his knees in a supposedly casual kind of manner. Never one to back down as Kakashi took yet another heavy step nearer. "You so much as touch that girl again and I will find it within my power to have you removed from this case fully and _completely_."

Kakashi would have gaped at that rare outburst from the man if it hadn't pissed him off so much. But true to Kakashi nature, he hid everything behind a mask of indifference. He wasn't pissed at Asuma, actually he was kinda glad to see someone else sticking up for her. Kakashi was irked more at himself, wondering at what point he'd allowed himself to stoop so low as to conjure up Asuma's bad side.

Well, that wasn't a hard question, right about the time he'd started molesting the poor girl was a good enough guess. That was reason enough to raise any man's shackles, even the ever tobacco induced reserved side of Asuma.

"Whatever," Kakashi camouflaged his indignation behind a smirk. Asuma snorted at this. "I'm out of here." He waved it all off, just like that. Intending to drop the subject.

"You're just going to leave her here?"

Kakashi paused to ponder over this for a moment. "Why not?" He shrugged. "She's got you and everyone else here to spur her on in her vengeance." He motioned to Ino on the couch and even Tsunade(who was even more clueless to their intentions than Sakura).

This time, it was Asuma who gaped.

_Chew on that for a while_, Kakashi turned from Asuma with his fake smirk still in place. Openly stating his disgust for the web they were creating around the oblivious girl.

When Kakashi left, he half expected Asuma to chase after him, pin him against a wall and threaten him again if he ruined their objective. But he didn't, thankfully. Kakashi wasn't in the mood tonight to listen to more orders from a man who wasn't even his boss. And it wasn't as if he was going to blow their cover and openly claim the true schemes unfolding around Sakura. No, he wouldn't compromise their mission. But he wasn't going to be a part of her downfall either, he wouldn't condone it.

And so he ambled on down the dark sidewalk, passing under street lamps that had moths and bugs swarming around the lights. Onward until he reached a small bar he often frequented on troublesome nights when he ran out of liquor at home...or when he just wanted to get out for a while.

Stepping inside, he took a deep breath. Filling his lungs with smoke and the nasty stench of stale beer, vomit and cheap perfume that many of the loose women that hung around this place wore.

Ah, it was like home to him.

Really, that was oxymoron in itself.

He walked in, the crunch of discarded peanut shells crushing beneath his shoes. A juke box sat in a dark corner, pulsing out a slow blues beat. Most bars were closed by this time, but this was one of those lovely rare spots that didn't really have a closing time. It just stayed open as long as there was always customer left to pump full of alcohol. Customers like himself.

He took a seat at the farthest end of the bar, his usual place, and slumped down in the bar stool. He rested an elbow on the counter and ran his hand over his face.

"Can I help you?" A sweet voice asked.

Without lifting his head, Kakashi smiled with recognition. He'd been hoping she was working tonight. "Ayame," He raised his eyes to hers.

"Haven't seen you around here in a while," She leaned over the counter in a comfy, friendly sort of manner. "You haven't been going to another bar, have you?" She wondered tritely. As if the thought offended her. Although they both knew it was falsely placed sorrow.

"Maybe," He sat back a bit and observed her. She was the bar owner's daughter. Good girl, she was. Easy on the eyes, great curves, knew her way around a mans body and wasn't ashamed to show it. _And _she didn't want to kill him. BIG bonus, right there. What more could a man ask for? "Jealous?" He teased with a comfortable smile.

"Ha," She rolled her eyes and shoved away from the counter. "What's your poison?" She asked and magically pulled a shot glass from under the counter to place it in front of him.

"Doubles tonight," He said and she raised her brows.

"Doubles?" Ayame's mouth twitched as she pulled out a deeper glass instead and replaced the other. "What's eating you?"

"Who said anything was bothering me?" Kakashi yawned, unaware of the deprived, insomnia induced image he produced with his dreary, heavy eyes and tired shoulders. "Whiskey, please." He pointed to a bottle he'd been eying ever since he'd set foot in the place.

"You only drink whiskey when romance is involved." She pursed her lips curiously. "Wanna share your woes? I'm always here to listen, it's what I'm good at, after all. One doesn't become a bartender and not expect to hear a few sad stories."

"I have nothing to share," He tapped the counter, ordering her to pour. "And leave the bottle."

"Now, now," Ayame wagged her finger. "You know I can't do that."

"Fine, then," He grumbled and tossed back the shot like it was merely water. "You see this glass?" He lifted the empty container and held it between them. "I don't wanna see the bottom of it. Ever. Clear?"

Ayame nodded quickly and spent the rest of the night rotating between the duties of making sure the man was well on his way to intoxication and attending her other customers that came and went within the hour.

"Ayame!" He barked. "The bottom of dis glass is looking awfully lonely over hur!" He called over his shoulder with a slight slur, glowering at the men giving his waitress a hard time over a screw driver that tasted like it 'didn't have enough vodka in it.'

Feh, what an bunch of assholes.

A couple of old cronies, by the looks of it. There was a younger one in there somewhere, maybe around Kakashi's age, hiding behind their super long 'father time' beards.

Kakashi smirked deviously...he could take them on with one hand behind his back. He was half tempted to test his theory when one of the bastards reached out to grab Ayame's butt. Kakashi laughed as she abruptly turned and smacked the man with quite a nasty look on her face. The man, smarting over the slap, rubbed his cheek and snickered at her as she left the table.

"Sorry, Kakashi," She sighed and filled his glass again. "I got my hands full over there," Her violet tinted eyes glanced up at the offending table of rowdy males. Each of them wearing chapped black leather from head to toe. They'd sauntered in here not long after Kakashi had came in, the annoyingly loud roar of their motorcycles pulling up had given away their presence easily enough.

"Want me to take care of them?" He shifted in his seat and ignored the new shot she'd just poured him. Focusing his 'glare' on the big one who groped her ass. He was trying to look mean and intimidating. But those were two words that just didn't go hand in hand with Kakashi. Sure, he could be intimidating from time to time, he was a cop and she'd seen him in action on a few occasions(not exactly somebody she wanted get on the bad side of) but never mean. She resisted the urge to run her palm down her face, inebriated as he was, his sordid 'glare' was looking more like a vulgar come-on.

Ayame narrowed her brows a little, slightly concerned as she looked at the empty bottle of whiskey she'd opened only an hour ago. She knew Hatake Kakashi. He was a man who could drink most others under the table with little effort, then get up and leave without even giving a clue of being plaster-faced drunk. He was normally a passive drinker, calm and reserved and always minded his own business. But tonight she could see he was just itching for a brawl.

Ayame was certain her father wouldn't be too pleased to hear of _another _fight in his bar this week. The bill tended to wrack up, especially when Kakashi was involved in said fights.

"Nah," She assured him, trying to get his attention back on her and not the men he was trying to start a civil war with. "It's what I got this darling for!" She smiled prettily and reached under the counter to nonchalantly pull out a nine mm in her small hand.

"Jesus!" Kakashi's eyes widened in shock as she brandished the shiny gun in her lithe fingers. "You got a permit for that thing, girl?" He laughed, her ploy seemed to work as he turned from the men across the room and swigged down his drink. Swiftly becoming very attentive to the girl with the gun.

Really, it was too easy. Hatake Kakashi was a man who loved his guns.

"Of course," Her pretty smile widened. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" She tilted her head in a mockingly bashful manner that was really quite attractive.

"Hm," His mouth hung in a lazy smirk as he leaned over to touch the gun lovingly. Running his fingers along the barrel in a sensual manner. "Women with weapons really turn me on."

Ayame blushed as his long fingers brushed her hand, but not from flattery or embarrassment.

"Speaking of women," She put the pistol away to its respectful perch under her cash register. "Who _is _the lucky girl?"

"What?" Kakashi blinked a few times at her, as if purely confused. Playing the innocent card, eh?

Well, if there was one thing Ayame was good at, it was getting drunk people to crack under her interrogation. She hadn't spent most of her life around drunks and not learned a thing or two about the troubles men and women run to the bar hoping to forget. People always wanted to talk about there problems, that's what bartenders were for. It was just hard getting them to take that first leap of faith and open up. But usually by the time the fourth or fifth drink went down, the rambling started coming up...and she found she sometimes couldn't get them to _shut _up.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was a bit more of a harder lock to pick. He never shared much, never even seemed to have any intention of coming to bars other than to get drunk, have a good time and pick up women on occasion...except on instances such as this. When he came here looking to forget something, usually something painful or distressing.

"I wanna know who the girl is that's got your boxers in such a knot." She bit into her lip, Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Frustrated with how much that simple female act reminded him of Sakura...and her pink lips. God, he could still taste her. "Please, all this drama is feeding my curiosity. You've got to tell me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He suddenly frowned at her. "I want another drink."

"Nope, you've had enough, big guy." She shook her head as she denied him. "Besides, you drank the whole bottle."

"Already?" He asked with a small hiccup. When she nodded, he sighed blearily. "Damn."

"You haven't drank like this since Rin left you."

"Yeah, well, we're not all perfect are we?"

"Never said you were,"

"_Thanks_."

"No problem!"

"I do believe you've acquired an attitude since the last time I've been here."

"Well, you haven't been here in quite a long time. Maybe you just forgot how much I like pestering you."

"Likely,"

"Uh-oh."

"What?"

"ZZ Top's making their way over here."

"Oh? _Really_, now...?" He started to turn.

"Don't look at them, you'll only encourage it." She hissed and quickly pulled out a rag to conspicuously start waxing the glossy counter top.

"Good. They look like they need a good ass wuppin."

"Great, they're getting closer...and they're giving your back the evil eye." Ayame shuddered. "That's what you get for making googly eyes at them."

"I couldn't help it. That one with the bald spot...he's just so handsome." Ayame tried not to laugh and pressed her lips tightly together.

"I'll kill you if you die in a bar fight." She whispered to him, then seemed to rethink the statement. "No, I'll kill you if you wreck my place while dying in bar fight." There, that sounded much better. "And then I'll send you the bill in hell."

"Point taken," He smiled darkly. "I won't tear things up...too bad."

"That's what you said the last time." Ayame threw the rag down on the counter with a huff and directed her gaze to the four very drunk, very ominous men loitering around the very drunk, very out numbered Kakashi. "Alright, boys," She put a hand on her hip and glared at them. "What do you want?" She asked the patrons, trying not to sound too offending with her impatient tone.

"We'd like to sit at the bar." The biggest one said, still eyeing Kakashi's back.

Ayame looked down at the length of bar outstretched before them. "Have a seat then," She motioned with her hand, the other still planted on her hip.

"We'd like to sit at _this _end of the bar." He reiterated.

"As I said, have a seat." She waved her hand again, her teeth clenched tightly with impatience. "There's plenty of stools." She felt the need to point that fact out, briefly wondering why she always got the crazy ones. The Ichiraku wasn't exactly the type of place biker boys usually sought out for a night out on the town. It was a quiet little place tucked neatly between a porn shop and thrift store.

"But my boy Ken here had his eye on that one." He stuck a finger out and poked Kakashi's back. But he didn't stir. "What are you, asleep?" He jabbed Kakashi harder. "My son wants to sit there."

_Oh, for the love of... _"I'm sorry, sir. But that seat is already taken." Ayame forced a smile.

The man suddenly looked affronted. "Do you know who I am, girl?"

_A big, ugly idiot? _Ooh, it was on the tip of her tongue. "Someone very important, I'm sure."

"Damn straight." He suddenly turned around to show off the pretty red embroidery on the back of his leather jacket. A nice, puffy cloud. Mm, how masculine. "I'm Kenji, new leader of the infamous Akatsuki gang running amok through defenseless cities!"

Ayame tried so very hard to hold back a snicker, Kakashi didn't try so hard to restrain himself and let the laugh leave his mouth rather loudly.

"You got a problem, fucker?"

Oh, no.

Ayame's eyes widened as Kakashi suddenly went still again. She was having a frightening vision of men getting carted out of here on their backs. "I'm sorry, sir," She apologized again. "It's approaching closing time, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She mentioned it as politely as she could.

"Not until this piece of shit tells us what he was laughing at." Ken, apparently Kenji's son(given the striking bearded resemblance...yes, how very uncanny the family similarities were), put his two cents in.

Kakashi yawned. "The only kind of gang the Akatsuki are in nowadays is a chain gang." He, in particular, knew this. He was one of the detectives on the case when the vigilante thieves were brought down. Actually, it was how he had met Sasuke... "You're nothing but a bunch of posers."

"Why don't you say that to our face!" Kenji's hand shot out to latch onto Kakashi's shirt collar. Jerking him up out of his seat and spinning him around to land a punch to Kakashi's jaw.

Ayame gasped and Kakashi's head snapped back with the recoil of the blow. Busting his lower lip open.

"Hn," He blinked as he slowly faced the men. "That hurt." He said to himself, sounding as if it were a mere observation. He stood calmly before the four brawny bikers, idly rubbing his ailing jaw as a small stream of blood dripped to his chin.

"Good," One of the no names chuckled. "Then this will probably hurt even more!" His chuckled cut into a boasting laugh as he took a swing at Kakashi's face again.

But this time, much to the man's surprise, Kakashi ducked his slow punch easily and sank his fist into the man's pudgy gut. _Ouch_, Ayame flinched, that was probably going to create an ulcer. He fell to his knees, gasping and cursing and clutching at his pained stomach.

That didn't particularly shock Ayame. Kakashi had won his fair share of bar fights in the past(and lost a few, too). If Kakashi was one thing, it was a fighter. What awed her was the fact she hadn't seen him fight while this overtly drunk in _years_. Ah, it was just like the good old days when he and Obito used to reek havoc every Friday night after they got off duty. Frankly, she didn't think he still had it in him. Apparently she was wrong as she watched him dodge another fist and tumble to the floor, punching and gripping at the shirt of Ken.

"Kakashi, look out!" Ayame shouted as one of the older men grabbed a chair and raised it over his head, his intention clear as he aimed it at Kakashi's back.

"Huh?" Kakashi grunted as he looked over his shoulder. He was barely able to roll out of the way in time to escaped the force of the chair coming down on his back, instead, the man smashed the seat over the head of Ken who had been under Kakashi as they wrestled on the floor.

"You idiot!" Ken snapped at the man who had made the stupid mistake of hitting one of his own. Cupping the large knot rising on his head in his palms.

She heard Kakashi curse as he tried to push himself off the floor, only to be marauded by Kenji and the man Kakashi had punched in the gut. Mauling him and trapping him on the dirty floor of the bar.

Ayame frowned as Ken(still rubbing his head) and the fat one who hit him over the head started close in on the defenseless Kakashi.

Now, if there was one thing Ayame couldn't stand, it was an unfair fight.

Sure, she was half tempted to leap over the bar and jump on the back of one of those big oafs cheating Kakashi out of a fair brawl. She could throw a punch or two, she knew how to cause some damage.

But that wouldn't be very practical of her.

So, rather than get involved in a fight that she would rather have avoided to begin with, Ayame reached under her cash register to pull out her nine mm browning.

"Enough!" She announced with a shriek of annoyance. Pointing the gun at the men who were over staying their welcome. All eyes turned on her. Even Kakashi's. "I'm closing this place down _now_. You four need to make like a tree and leave!"

Ha! She'd always wanted to say that.

"What are you gonna do about it..._girly_?" Oh, my...how _terribly _heartless of him to call her such a cruel thing as a _girl_.

Ken turned to her, stalking closer like a strutting chicken(evidently he thought it made him look tough, or maybe his friend really had hit him too hard with that chair). Who the hell did this guy think he was? Did he just assume she was gonna cower down and start shaking at the mere sight of him squinting his eyes at her like a retarded duck? Maybe it really was a requirement for fat, ugly men to be stupid as well.

"I'm gonna shoot you, dumb ass. That's what the gun's for." She thought she heard Kakashi chuckling down there somewhere under all that mass of blubber on the floor. "Scram before I call the cops." This time, it was she who repressed a snicker at the irony.

When nobody moved or showed any inclination of following her orders, she let out a loud _Ahem!_ and nudged the barrel of her gun in the direction of the door. She was contemplating on whether to shoot one of them or not to get the point through until finally Kenji spoke up.

"Alright men," He coughed a bit to clear his throat and lifted his knee off Kakashi's stomach. "We've made our mark here. I think they've learned their lesson." He gripped his belt buckle as he stood, preventing his pants from falling off his round frame.

"Yeah, thanks for clearing things up for us." Her eyes followed them as they began walking to the exit. "I do believe you've just taught us neanderthals really _do _still exist. I suppose evolution skipped the part where you develop brains."

One of the men looked as if he were about to leap for her throat. But a quick flick that indicated she'd just flipped off the safety on her gun made him rethink the idea.

Ayame quickly scooted out from behind the bar and ran to lock the door behind the Akatsuki posers as they left. The rumble of engines thundered out on the street as they fired up their motorcycles and drove off.

"You know," She began as she leaned against the locked door. Ayame quickly reached over to the switch on the wall to turn off the neon lights that indicated the bar was open. Insuring that she would get no more customers for the night. "I think I just realized something else about you that's changed since you last came here."

"Oh? What's that?" Kakashi quirked a brow. Still lying prone on the floor, staring up a light over his head that was giving him a migraine. He had yet to catch on to the fact that if he looked away, the pain in his head just might actually stop. Yup, he'd had just a little too much.

"Well, for starters, you look like shit."

Gee, that sure was swell of her. Nice to know that was the second person who had told her that in two days. He was shooting for a record, here. If she kept going, she might just accomplish something. "I've missed you too, Ayame." He grumbled.

"Secondly, I just want to point out that your paying for that," She pointed to the shattered chair laying a few feet away. Waving her gun about hazardously. Kakashi flinched, waiting for the thing to fire off in her hands. Sure, she knew how to point the thing, but did she know how to use it? "And that," Then she pointed to a table with a broken leg.

"But I didn't do that." He looked at the table skeptically, trying to remember if he actually did or not.

"No," She conceded. "But I'm going to make you pay for it anyways." She deposited her gun on the counter as she leaned over him. "Thirdly," She began, brushing some of her hair away from her eyes. "You've completely lost your mind."

Well, yeah, he probably had lost his mind. At least she was right in one of her assessments.

"Look at you, you're half seas over on a bender, you should know better than to start something with men twice your size while you're already soaked."

"That's the fun in being drunk." He rubbed at his bruised temple. "You loose half your better judgement. There's no entertainment in it otherwise." He sat up and she shook her head. "And I didn't start anything."

"You've already got a blueberry around your eye." She reached forward and examined the split flesh over his cheekbone and his bloody lip. "Come on, I got a first aid kit in the back." She helped him to his feet. Allowing him to lean heavily on her shoulder.

"I think I need some fresh air first."

"No problem," She tugged his arm over her neck to offer him support as he seemed to be more limping from a sore leg than swaying from being too drunk. "Here, let's use the kitchen door. It leads out back where I can get you some ice."

The sun was peeking over the horizon as they stumbled out the back door into the alley. Although it was hard to tell with nothing but walls and fences and buildings surrounding them, but the gray tint in the sky gave away the dawn. Ayame laughed for a moment as Kakashi nearly fell to the concrete ground after tripping over his own two feet.

"Clumsy!" She yelped as he stepped on her toes.

"Stop complaining, you're supposed to be feeling sorry for me." Kakashi took a deep breath as she leaned him against a chain linked fence that safe guarded the alley from intruders and trespassers. A barrier that connected two buildings half way down the narrow alley.

The door on the fence was always kept locked until Ayame or her father would close down on nights such as this. When disrupting customers would crash the place and put them out of business for a day until the damages were repaired.

Although, Ayame could say there was no real damage done tonight. Just a busted chair, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the time she was spending alone with Kakashi. It had been nearly a year since she last saw him, when they agreed upon a quiet break up. Even though they hadn't really been dating. Just a benefit package that came along with their friendship...

"I hope you don't have anywhere important you're supposed to be today." She lifted the hem of her shirt, wetted it with her tongue and used it to wipe away the blood on his chin. "You're too drunk to do anything."

Like a magnet, Kakashi's hand reached out to caress her exposed midriff. "I couldn't tell you about it, even if I could remember my schedule right now." He suddenly bent down and tried to kiss her, but she dipped her head back just far enough out of his reach before his lips could land a smooch.

"Ah, ah," She _tsked_ and wagged her finger at him again. "You're drunk."

His hand smoothly slid from her stomach to her neck, brushing between her breasts in the process. "So?" He smirked and pulled her closer. "What's it to ya?" Ayame's laugh was deep and mirthful as she swiftly found her own back pressed to the fence and Kakashi's warm body pressing against hers. "I'm drunk and you haven't had a boyfriend in a while."

"And how do you know that?" Her fingers played with the buttons on his jacket, walking their way up to wrap around his neck.

"I don't," Hands were straying, sneaking beneath clothing. Lips were getting closer and breathing was getting deeper. "I was just guessing."

"You know, this isn't exactly the most romantic place to do this," Her lips smiled as he pressed his to hers. The heat between their bodies steadily rising as he compressed the wall of his chest against the cushiony pillows of her breasts.

"Nor the most inconspicuous," He said tenaciously as he looked up to see a few cars passing by on the street in front of the bar. Not easing off of her yielding body.

"You don't think anybody will see–?" She started to look over her shoulder.

"No," He lied, falsely assuring her and quickly reclaimed her lips harshly. "It's too dark back here."

"But..."

"Shh, nobody's going to see us."

"Well, in that case..." She steadily began returning the fevered kiss. Tongues were lashing out at one another. He didn't even complain about the pain in his busted mouth as the kiss escalated. Nor did he take account to the fact that his good eye was sporting a giant bruise, or that his stomach was killing him from the knee that Kenji had jabbed him with.

His hands were frantically pulling up her long skirt.

Her hands were eagerly unbuttoning his pants.

They both laughed as he entered her impatiently. Keen to the sensitive sensations they were able to establish so abruptly.

Her fingers groped for stability on the chained fenced pressing into her back as he picked up a rapid pace. One of his own sank to her ass as her legs found a purchase around his waist.

Kakashi closed his eyes, grunting and groaning as they each withdrew into themselves to find their own satisfaction. He reflected on the situation for a moment, becoming detached and unguarded to the happenings around him.

This was the kind of life he was used to. Getting plastered the night before he had to go back to work. Getting his ass kicked by four sumo biker dudes for no real good reason. Unprotected sex behind a bar in a dark alley were he could gather any number of spectators. But that was highly unlikely at this hour, there were hardly even any vehicles out and about.

It felt good to release his tensions, although there was a strange emotion that kept tugging in his chest every time he heard Ayame moan against him. An inkling of something similar to guilt that continued to stir in the back of his mind.

But that was the thing. There shouldn't have been any emotion at all, only the sweet effects of unhinged lust.

He shouldn't have let his thoughts continuously stray to another woman when the one in his arms suited him so much better. He wasn't putting her in danger just by being with her. He wasn't feeding her endless lies. And she certainly wasn't a emotional teenager out to slaughter him for killing her brother.

He groaned and dropped his head to her shoulder, not even sure if it was a pleasurable or culpable noise. He didn't want to think about Sakura. But it seemed he couldn't help himself. He wanted what he couldn't have. So he seeks out Ayame to be done with his misplaced lust for the girl.

Either way, when all was said and done, he knew there was nothing left for him but his job. A job in which he should have been attending right about now over at the modeling company instead of having sex in a damp alley. He would be late, but somehow, he couldn't find it in his heart to care.

"Tell me you love me, Hatake," She whispered in his ear.

"Sure, baby," He whispered back, feeding her laconic illusion as he clutched tighter to the chain link fence. His eyes fell between two buildings on the other side of the street that offered a clearing wide enough to catch a small glimpse of the sky. Watching the golden sun as it ascended slowly over the horizon."Sure I do..."

.

There were two things in life Sakura hated most.

One was Hatake Kakashi.

The second was green olives. But right now she really hated Hatake Kakashi.

Why?

Was there really a need to ask herself that anymore?

Not unless she wanted to remind herself of the sort of man she was dealing with. Even she got out of line sometimes, so all she had to do was think of Akira and just like that, bam, she could set herself straight again...kinda.

She shouldn't have allowed herself to cry about what had just happened in that bed. Needless to say, she had. A few hours, in fact. Man, what a sissy she was turning out to be. She was stronger that, to cry the way she did.

It confused her, really.

Sakura had known who was on top of her, doing those things to her body that were nearly too graphic to even think about. But for a few weak moments she had been compelled to forget just exactly what he had done to her life. How he had ruined it. It was so easy to believe in illusions under the influence of lust...and alcohol.

But then he had rejected her. The blow didn't strike her in the heart as much as it did to her pride. Was she not responsive enough for him? Did he fancy himself better than her? Could he tell that she had never had sex before? Did that disgust him? Maybe her breath was bad...

She rubbed at her swollen eyes and got out of the bed.

She detested this whole game. They were playing each other for a fool, there was no need in denying that anymore. He was pulling her strings in some way, she just couldn't figure it out yet.

All the more reason to try harder. Haruno Sakura _never _gave up.

More evidence was what she needed. And since Kakashi no longer seemed like a cooperative fountain of information, she'd have to go searching about other places. And only then, with her satisfaction in the full knowledge of the situation, would she be able to carry out her final goal of revenge. But that part may prove all the more difficult with his unforseen resistance to her seduction. He was _supposed _to fall madly in love with her body. Well, that certainly didn't happen though, did it.

Sakura dragged her feet over to the dresser Kakashi had pulled the linen shirt out of. Her eyes flinched when she looked to the draperies to see the sun coming up, stinging her cornea after an alcohol induced sleep and a few hours of crying. Her mouth felt like cotton and her head hurt quite a bit, not to mention she was kinda nauseous.

She promised herself never to drink liquor again as she pulled open a drawer, rummaging through his clothes in search of something to cover her bum with. The linen shirt she had on now was long and worked well enough as a pair of pj's. It just wasn't exactly the type of thing she would consider walking out onto the street and hail a cab in.

Damn, her head was killing her. Suffering the consequences of the bottle was something she discovered she really, really, really, really disliked. Maybe she could add that as her number three thing she hated most.

In her search for decent clothing, Sakura's hand bumped into something solid. She gasped softly with curiosity, hesitating for a moment before shoving his pile of socks to the side. It didn't even register in her brain that she was snooping around. It was more like...investigating.

When her fingers closer around a cold metal barrel, a slight frown marred her brow.

With a firm grip on the object, Sakura held tight to the heavy Glock 17 she pulled out from beneath his socks. She vaguely remembered it's name and what it looked like because her brother had shown her one once at the firing lanes where he used to take her to teach her how to shoot. He'd said it was mainly used in armies and law enforcement these days. She wouldn't have recognized it if it weren't for the distinct polymer frame that had caught her attention the first time Akira had let her handle one.

She turned it over in her hand carefully, respectfully just as Akira had taught her to handle all fire arms, and noticed that it was loaded. A cold chill went down her spine as she thought about the plain fact of being alone in a room with Kakashi and a loaded gun.

But then her hand brushed against something else.

Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to know what other _things _he had hidden in his underwear drawer. But with a determined shaky hand, she reached down again and latched onto a thick leather wallet.

She swallowed hard as she set the gun back in the drawer and opened the wallet. Her breathing stopped for a few seconds as she revealed a shiny, well polished badge.

And on the left half of the pouch was a plastic scratched and faded picture I.D.

_Hatake Kakashi. Homicide Division. _

And the proceedings further expounded upon his age, birth date, blood type, the expiration date of the license and other such important personal specifications.

What the freaking hell?

"Sakura," There was a knock on the door.

Sakura gasped sharply and fumbled to rearrange the items back under his socks as she shoved the drawer shut behind her.

"Yes," She said a little hoarsely.

Asuma opened the door, spilling a small amount of light on the floor from the other room.

"Hey," He looked at her, then down to her exposed legs. "Oh," All of a sudden, he seemed to find the floor around his feet very interesting.

Sakura quirked her head and stared at his odd reaction. That is, until she glanced down and saw she was one breeze away from flashing the poor man. "Oh!" _Shit_. "I'm sorry! I just...that is, I was–" Her hands shot out to grab a blanket from the bed to wrap around her waist.

"Don't worry about it," He kept his eyes lowered to the floor, thank god. "I was just checking up on you. Kakashi left a few hours ago and you hadn't come out yet."

"I'm fine," She assured him, hoping her face wasn't too red with embarrassment. Partially from knowing Asuma knew she shared the same bed with Kakashi(although she didn't much care if the whole world knew it, as long as she got what she wanted out of it) but because he'd walked in on her half naked. Very humiliating.

"Well, there's toast and cereal in here if you want anything. I've got some coffee brewing in the kitchen. So, help yourself, I guess." He started to leave.

"W-wait! Asuma?" She called out before he could shut the door.

"Yeah?" He glanced over his shoulder.

"Um...erm, where did Kakashi go?" She chewed at her lip. "I mean, not that I'm saying you would know or that I care. But I was just wondering."

"He's probably at a bar, most likely down at the Ichiraku. He's too lazy to stray much farther than that."

"Ichiraku?" She echoed.

"Yeah, it's about seven blocks south of here. It used to a be nice little ramen shop/bar. Now days it's mainly just a bar run and owned by the owner and his daughter."

"Okay, thanks."

"Hn." He tried to leave again.

"Oh, Asuma?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Shoot for it,"

"Uh, just exactly how long have you and Kakashi been friends?" She asked innocently.

Asuma released a slow sigh just then, as if he'd been half expected her to start asking these questions. "About fifteen years." He answered curtly, giving her a considerable look. Trying to pin point her reasoning for the spontaneous question.

"So you've known him since he was twenty?" She tapped her chin as if trying to solve some puzzle. "That sure is a long time," She added for a sincere effect. "And how did the two of you meet, if you don't mind me asking."

Asuma rubbed the bridge of his nose. How the hell did this kind of information pertain to anything? "I do mind, actually."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry." She looked surprised.

"Sakura, look," He paused as he stepped back into the room. His expression was asking himself, should I stay or should I go? And his eyes were wondering if he should talk or keep his mouth shut. "There's–" He tried again and stopped again. Rethinking the words in his head. "There's something you should know about Kakashi."

Suddenly, Sakura's ears were perked up and her eyes were very mindful of the other man in the room. From the tone of his voice and the expression on his face, it appeared he was going to tell her something very important. "Really?" She was proud of herself for keeping her intrigue well concealed. "And what would that be?"

What was he going to tell her? So many possibilities ran amok through her mind. Perhaps he was going to tell her about the drugs, surely Asuma was in on the whole crack too. Or maybe an explanation behind Jiriaya's disappearance and Kakashi's rise to the top of the company ladder? Or could it have something to do with Kakashi and Kimimaro's little qualms?

Absolutely beside herself, Sakura couldn't bring herself to care what he shared with her. As long as it was useful information.

"Kakashi...he's not really the man you think he is."

She tilted her head fractionally in a facade of mild confusion. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Damn it," A frustrated hand landed on his hip as the other reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Listen, he's just not the kind of guy you need to get involved with." What a coward, he couldn't even look at her when he was talking to her! It was either that, or he was trying to remain chivalrous in the sense she still didn't have many clothes on. "You've only known him a few days so...so just go about your business and stay away from him, okay? Do your job and forget about him."

"And just exactly what kind of guy is he?" She feigned a yawn, after all, she had just 'woke' up. "You make it sound like he's done something terribly wrong."

Asuma was silent.

"He hasn't actually done anything bad...has he?" This time she tried to sound concerned, even adding a tinge of anxiety to her tone. Perhaps, after everything had fallen into place and she obtained her justice, then she should take up acting as another carrier opportunity.

"No," He shook his head. "But I promise you, if you mess with him you're going to get burned. And it's going to hurt...bad."

Sakura convulsively swallowed the knot rising in her throat before she spoke. "I see."

He left then and shut the door behind him. Leaving her alone with her thoughts again, making her think over everything he had said. None of it really offered any answers. Maybe Asuma, unlike Kakashi, actually had morals and was simply trying to protect her?

But...what of that badge she had just found in his dresser? What did it mean?

It wasn't possible for him to be a cop, it didn't make any logical sense. He was heading a modeling company. Cop and model. The two didn't exactly go hand in hand.

Unless he was one of those rotten cases that sells out to the bad guys and betrays his partners.

Or maybe not...

Sakura dropped the sheet from her waist and hurried into the bathroom. She pulled the shirt over her head and picked up the dress she had worn last night. She hadn't particularly wanted to wear the wrinkly thing, it's why she had been looking for a pair of sweat pants or shorts in his drawer. Decidedly, she had found something much more interesting than his underwear this morning.

Now, as she donned the disheveled dress, she couldn't have cared what she looked like.

She rushed out of the bedroom and stopped short when she saw Asuma and Ino sitting on the couch, drinking coffee, eating cereal and watching the morning news.

"Hey," Ino smiled, her eyes quite bloodshot. Her blonde hair was looking bedraggled and frizzy. Woah, not exactly what something she would want to wake up next to. Then again, Sakura didn't have much room to talk with her limp hair and wrinkly gown – she was beginning to feel a bit like the sloppy Kakashi.

"Where's Tsunade?" She asked.

"She left about thirty minutes ago." Ino said, wrapped up snugly in her blanket. Sakura glanced at Asuma seated by her side, looking as if he were trying to ignore her without a word. "Wait, where are you going?" Ino shoved herself from the couch, revealing that she too was still wearing her pink dress from last night when the blanket fell from her body.

"Home," Sakura said, briefly wondering why the duo hadn't done the same. She quickly gathered her purse and shoes. Not bothering to put them on, she didn't expect she would have been able to walk in the stilettos's this morning anyways, as crappy as she was feeling.

"Hang on, Sakura!" Ino tried to protest as she set her bowl of corn flakes aside. "Give me a sec and I'll go with you, we can share a cab."

"Don't have time," She opened the door and hurried out. "I gotta go, I have a photo shoot this morning. Can't go looking like this!" She lied and waved over her shoulder as she slammed the door shut in her wake.

"But–" Ino called after her, reaching for the door knob with intentions to chase after her.

"Let her go," Asuma said with a mouthful of toast.

"What did you say to her?" Ino spun around on the balls of her feet, growling at the man. Quite a monestrous sight with her smeared makeup, hair flying every which way but down and the deep circles under her eyes that indicated she was in serious hangover mode.

Asuma had a little trouble swallowing the rest of his food under her direct glare. "Nothing," He said innocently.

"Why is it that I'm finding it hard to believe that?" She crossed her arms.

Asuma shrugged dejectedly. Hoping to gain some of her pity.

"Kakashi is going to be pissed." She warned him.

"Like I give a shit what he thinks."

"Bologna, if he was a woman, you two would done be married with children by now."

Asuma gave her another speaking look that shut her up.

"I didn't tell her anything." He assured her with the lie again.

"I still don't believe you."

"Never said you had to."

"Asuuumaaa!"

"God, Ino. Cut that out," He plugged his ears. "You sound like a damned hyena."

"Good, then I'll do it again if you don't tell me what you told her."

"Go to hell."

Ino gasped. "That was totally uncalled for!"

"Bullshit. You tell me to go to hell at least ten times a day. Thirty five is your all time record."

Ino gasped again, louder and sounding tangibly more offended. "I don't have to take this!" She flipped her ratty hair over her shoulder, disregarding the fact it didn't seem to have the same effect as when it wasn't pretty and brushed out to shining perfection.

"Where are you going?" He asked as he watched her scoop up her shoes and purse and shawl.

"Sakura's," She announced with a hiss. "I am supposed to be her bodyguard, after all."

"Ino, you better not say anything–"

"Go to hell!" He got a door abruptly slammed in his face.

_Well, crap_. Asuma sighed as he glanced back into the empty apartment. Nothing but the chatter of the television filling the silence. It was just going to be one of those days for him.

.

Sakura stood on the curb of the street, her slinky stilettos dangling from the tips of her fingers. The sun was finally perched happily in the sky, lighting the sidewalks and busy roads better than street lamps ever could. People were starting to come out of buildings, heading off to work.

When a bright yellow cab finally came into view, she waved her hand out the hail the driver.

"Where to, Miss?" The scroungy looking taxi man asked as she slipped inside the car.

"196 North Avenue, in front of the–" She halted herself from ordering him towards her apartment. And instead thought of another destination in a different direction. "Actually," She began to wonder...should she? What if he was still there? What if the place was closed? "Could you take me to the Ichiraku?"

"The Ichiraku?" The man echoed.

"Yes, it's seven blocks south of here. Do you know of it?"

"Sure do, I'll have you there in a jiffy." He said in a precise manner, a monotonous thing he'd accustomed himself to repeating on a daily basis, before he eased on the gas and pulled away from the curb with his turn signal flickering on and off.

Sakura sat back in the seat and poked at her stomach, trying to work out the ache of hunger, nausea and nervousness. Suffering from that gut feeling that told her there was more to this case than what she originally expected.

She rubbed futilely against her dry closed eyes, unable to shake the image that kept popping into her head of a shiny, heavy badge with Kakashi's name and picture on it.

Man, what a way to start the day...


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

------

'_Now here comes the mystery. (his last words)_'

-Henry Ward Beecher

------

The neon business light overhead was off...the place was already closed.

Well, gooseberries.

This wasn't going to be a very big help.

"Looks like it's closed, Miss." The cabi twisted in his seat to speak at her. "You wanna get out here, or what?"

"No, I think I'll just go home." She sighed and glanced at the place again. There were still lights on inside. Maybe the manager was just closing down? She wasn't going to fool herself – she was more than curious to know if Kakashi had come here. If so, had it been to meet with anyone? Kimimaro, perhaps? Another woman? Maybe he had just wanted to get drunk, he did seem like that type of predictable guy.

"Where to now?" He asked slowly, studying her face scrutiniously. A few seconds later his eyes had widened dramatically in their sockets. His mouth gaped open and he stared at her recognizably famous visage. "Hey, wait a minute," He rudely pointed at her person with his finger. Smiling and laughing as if he had just struck gold. "I know you!"

_Great_.

"You're that girl!" He slapped his knee and she half expected him to yell out a 'hot damn!'. "I knew it, I knew I've seen that face somewhere before." He turned a little more in his seat to look her up and down. "What was your name again, Haruno...Haruno Sakura! I'm your biggest fan!" She could have taken that quite literally, the man had a huge gut.

"No, no," She shook her head and covered her mouth in a fake giggle. Keeping her eyes downcast and perfectly coy. "I get that all the time. I just have one of those faces, I assure you."

"I don't think so, I drive by your billboard everyday. Right there, in the middle of the city square advertising lingerie. Pink hair, green eyes. No mistaking it." His eyes lowered to her chest for a moment, as if recognizing _those _too. "Black lace panties and a push up bra...yeah, I remember."

"You're confused, sir." She managed to muster up a soft blush on her cheeks rather than a reflexive gag. "I am not this girl you're speaking of. I would never be seen in public wearing such a thing!" _Cue the curtains..._Haruno Sakura has just entered stage left.

"Nope, you are her alright." He nodded his head, holding firmly to his persistent argument over her own identity. Really, you'd think the guy would get the picture. "Look, I got you're picture hanging up right here!" Okay, bad metaphor.

He pulled down the visor on the passenger side to reveal a magazine cut out of Sakura wearing nothing but a skimpy yellow bathing suit. What the–? That swim wear was supposed to be advertised in adolescent, teen summer catalogs. How the hell did he get – no, never mind. She didn't even want to know.

Mortification, to say the least, would be putting it lightly.

"Oh, look!" She suddenly interrupted and stared out her window at the first thing she laid eyes upon. "A...a porn shop, just what I was searching for." She dug some cash out of her purse and threw it in the front seat. "I think I _will _go ahead and get out here, after all." She opened the car door and hurried out. "Keep the change!" She plastered a smile on her face as she slammed the door behind her and scurried away from the cab before the man could say anything else. Ew, he better not be staring at her butt...

She relaxed a bit when he finally drove away from the curb and disappeared around a corner.

Sakura shuddered. She couldn't wait until it was time to start modeling the spring wedding collection for Wang. It would be nice to strut her stuff in classy dresses for a change(not to mention it was every young girls' dream to don an elaborate wedding gown, the only thing missing would be a groom). She'd wore some gorgeous gowns in the past month, but she'd also had to wear several more revealing numbers that she'd rather not have even looked at. But it's what came with the package of modeling. Her image was in the hands of other people. And that was written in ink, her name signed at the bottom.

Trying her best to fix her morose appearance, Sakura ran her fingers through her hair. Attempting to rearrange the wild mass of messy tangles as she approached the Ichiraku.

Clearing her throat and straightening her back, she raised her fist to knock on the door, she frowned when she saw the reflection of her wrinkly dress and dreadful hair on the glass window. Uhg, what a disaster she looked.

There wasn't a response to her knock, she really hadn't expected there to be people inside. She tried again just incase and called out a loud 'hello' this time hoping someone, if anyone, in the back might hear her. Sakura lifted her palm to the glass to shield off the glare of the morning sun as she peaked inside. There were a few chairs spread out in disarray, one of them broken and a gun sitting on the counter by the cash register.

Sakura flinched.

Damn. Had the place been robbed? She began to reach for her phone but grimaced when she remembered she didn't even have her cell with her, she had left it at her apartment last night because it wouldn't fit in her purse. She made a mental note to never go anywhere without it again, stupid mistake on her part.

She jumped a little when a clattering noise echoed out of the alley to the right of the bar.

Sakura bit into her lip and glanced around her side of the street cautiously. Could the robbery still be in progress? Her heart stammered in her chest as she tried to decide if she should run for help or investigate first. She knew these kinds of places were susceptible to crime.

There was another sound, a shuffling sort of noise this time and she bit her lip harder as she stepped closer to the corner of the building. She winced as her bare feet landed on a sharp pebble, but she kept quiet. Sneaking around a garbage can, Sakura peaked her head past the brick corner of the bar.

"I don't like people snooping around my place,"

Sakura could have leaped right out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" Came the voice again.

"Oh," Sakura quickly turned around, she had nearly swallowed her own tongue as she stared, dumbstruck, at the irate looking woman. "I'm sorry, I...I thought I heard something." She began to glance back into the alley to search for the noise, just then a scraggily calico street cat came prancing out of the darkness with a limp gray mouse between her teeth. Skinny and scruffy and four happy kittens in tow, pouncing and bouncing along behind their mother carrying their breakfast.

"I see," The woman narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as they watched the stray animals run off across the sidewalk and dodge into another alley down the street. "Is there any particular reason why you were knocking on my door?" She asked a little more mildly. "I'm already closed down for the morning, you need something?"

Sakura twiddled her thumbs nervously as a twinkle appeared in the strangers violet eyes after assessing her wrinkly gown. "I was looking for someone." She said with a dry mouth, unsure if it was from nerves or dehydration.

The woman raised her eyebrows, scanning Sakura up and down as if she suddenly knew who she was. Great, suppose she's seen Sakura's lovely lingerie billboard as well? Hopefully she was a fan. But that was highly improbable, given older women's tendency to dislike famous thin creatures of the same gender(particularly younger ones). "Looking?" She echoed.

"Yes, but you're closed so I don't think he's here now...I'm not even sure he came by here last night." Sakura sighed. "I'm sorry to have troubled you, I'll be–"

"Kakashi," She said knowingly, a bit darkly. As if suspecting no sort of good would come of the encounter with this girl.

Sakura blinked. "Uh, yeah. Is he still here?" She asked.

"No, who are you anyways?" She leaned in on the girl. Sakura took a step back.

"I...I'm his girlfriend." She made up a quick lie. Sakura knew she was gambling with her fibs here, she had a lot to loose if the woman already knew who she was. But she had even more to gain, and if she wanted to actually progress in this game of liars and murderers, then there would be times that she would have to go out on a limb and risk all. This was one of those occasions, and might she add, the limb was getting pretty thin out here.

The woman gave a sound that vaguely resembled a sharp gasp. Suddenly sounding shocked and very clearly...hurt. As if those simple words had injured her pride. "His...girlfriend?" Sakura confirmed by nodding her head. "Oh, I thought..." She hesitated before saying more.

Why was she getting this weird pang of guilt at the stricken expression on the woman's face? "Did he happen to meet anyone here last night?" She asked with the nosy confidence that only a 'philandering' mans girlfriend should have.

"No, he had a few drinks then left." The woman swiftly switched her attitude back to skeptical. From the tone of her voice, Sakura could tell she was protecting someone or something. "He never mentioned anything of being involved with anyone," _Let alone over a teenager_, Sakura could literally feel the statement hanging in the air between them, gleaming in her eyes. But the woman never said it. "In fact, he didn't act much like he was committed with any relationship...from what I gathered." She ended with a smug smirk, certain that the girl before her was being deceptive.

Sakura wanted to rise to the blatant challenge the woman had just tossed her way, she wanted to refuse to be a pushover, but she didn't. This wasn't about fighting over the man, it was about gathering information on him. Still, she needed to sound convincing. And whatever the situation called for, Sakura was willing to dish it out. No matter how humiliating it may be.

Slowly, almost depressingly, Sakura lowered her head and sagged her shoulders. "I see," She made a hard swallow and a loud, over dramatized sniffle. She rested her hand gently, protectively, on her belly and clutched her little purse to her chest with her other hand. "If that's how he decides to disregard me and his unborn child, then I will have nothing to do with the man."

"His what?!" The woman's widened eyes instantly lowered to Sakura's very flat stomach. "You don't look very–"

"We just found out a few weeks ago. Yes, it was a surprise to us as well." She sighed and took her hand away from her abdomen. "But if this is how he continues to run his life, I will not tolerate his neglect of us any longer. Our child's life will not be spoiled by his wild ways." Okay, that was spreading it on a little too thick, but it was hard not to get carried away. "If he can't step up and be a man, then I don't see him fit to be a father, either. He's wasted his last chance." She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her fingers.

There was an extremely long strangled silence that followed. The older woman was absolutely stunned. Quite astounding really, how people fell for her stories so easily. "H...h-how do I know you're not lying?"

Ah, Sakura thought victoriously, only someone with something to hide would be suspicious of imposters.

"Lying?" She briefly berated herself for sounding squeaky. "Why would I lie?" She defended herself. "That...that _snake _is the liar! Promising to love and care for me forever! And then at the slightest whim, forsake me to get drunk, and for other women too, no less. Oh, this isn't the first time he's pulled this stunt – spending the last of my paycheck to go to a bar. How could he abandon me with no food, no money...nothing to care for our child! Leaving me with nothing but the spoiled, old clothes from salvage shops to wear on my back!" She buried her face in her hands and began weeping uncontrollably. Working her wrinkly dress into the confession masterfully. Amazing that such an ugly thing ended up working to her advantage.

"I...I'm so sorry." The woman stepped forward and hesitantly wrapped her arms around Sakura, trying to put a stint on her woeful cries. "I don't understand, that doesn't sound like the Hatake Kakashi that I know at all. I suppose he really has changed during that year I hadn't seen him." She wrapped her arms tighter around Sakura's shoulders as the mention of his name seemed to set her off into tearful fits again. "You poor dear, how could he? You're...you're so young!" No wonder he had wanted to get drunk last night, Ayame grit her teeth. And no wonder he refused to even talk about the past year of his life, the cad, it was outright cruelty. "What's your name?" She asked softly.

"My name is Sa...Sayuri Tomi. And please, don't judge him. Everyone has their problems...he can't help it if he's a dirty, lousy, no good, worthless bastard." She paused and hiccuped, sure that now was as good a time as any to test the 'theory' she had developed after finding that gun and badge in his room.

What she was about to say would either solidify or blow her cover if this woman was any sort of close acquaintance to Kakashi at all. She bit her lip and looked up at the woman innocently. Her eyes were watery and her mouth was quivering like a lost child. Here goes nothing... "I know he's busy with his work, being a cop isn't an easy job. But is it too much to ask for his affection?" When the woman didn't object or visually give away any doubt to his status as an enforcer of the law, the inner workings of Sakura's mind went wild with suspicions and questions. "That's all I wanted from him. I thought it was true love, he was my first everything! He told me he loved me, I thought it was for real! I gave him my heart, I gave him most of the money I earned from working at the diner, I gave him my..._virginity_." The woman gasped. She put a lot of drama into that last word, the V card always did hit home with older women. Sakura sounded so stricken and despondent that she was half tempted to believe the cheesy cacophony of words coming out of her own mouth(she was sure she'd seen something like this on a Soap Opera once before).

The woman was shocked into silence again. For a moment, Sakura feared that she wouldn't buy into the tragic story. It sounded like it had been conjured up strait from a theatrical, late night talk-show episode.

"That _sicko_," She finally opened her mouth and spoke. The detest clear in her eyes. It seemed Sakura was well on her way of persuading the woman to her side of the good fight. "It just doesn't make sense to me, he's changed so much..." Sakura actually began to regret her silly story as the woman took on a sad air around her eyes. Had the two of them been close friends, could they have been dating? Lovers, perhaps? Sakura felt even worse as she thought about her attempts to seduce another woman's man, even if he was a lecher, not to mention letting said man touch her and sleep in the same bed as her. But it was all within good reason and a specific goal in mind. Kakashi never was what he seemed to be, she was slowly learning that fact the hard way. And she wasn't going to stop digging until she found the real Hatake Kakashi, she would just have to keep looking underneath the underneath until she got what she wanted.

She started melting into a sorrowful a heap for the woman already. Her boyfriend was a hound dog and possible murderer and was probably lying to her as well. What would Sakura feel like in her position? If her love interests' pregnant girl on the side showed up at her door? The fact that the woman had embraced her and uttered words of pity spoke volumes for her character, Sakura could already tell she was a respectable girl.

A deep, growling suddenly grinded out from her stomach. Sakura blushed and placed a hand over her belly again.

"He really is starving you!" The woman gasped upon hearing the hunger pains retaliating from her gut. She carefully eyed Sakura's thin frame. "You're so skinny," Sakura nearly opened her mouth to explain that she had simply missed breakfast, but decided instead to play along with her ridiculous plot. "Here, come inside. I'll fix you something."

Sakura was amazed at the woman's hospitality. "I'm sorry, but, what's your name?" She asked with soft eyes, an affect she was proud to say in this moment was not an act.

"Huh?" She glanced over her shoulder. Forgetting her manners for a moment by not properly introducing herself. "Oh, I'm Ayame," She smiled warmly, leading her into the bar.

"It's nice to meet you," She took Ayame's hand in a fond manner and patted the back of it. "You're a good person to do this, you know."

Ayame blushed and visibly swallowed. "Nah," She waved off the compliment modestly. "It's nothing."

Sakura grimaced as she stepped up to the threshold of the bar. Her feet were bare, she'd left her stilettoes in the cab in her hurry to get away from the creepy cabi, and the floor was needless to say not very sanitary.

Ayame paused to question her hesitation. "It's okay if you're not old enough to come in a bar, it's not like I'm going to serve you alcohol or anything. You're pregnant, for God's sake."

"It's not that," Sakura pointed down to her feet. "I don't have any shoes,"

"Oh," Ayame snorted out a little laugh and eyed the broken peanut shells and dirt on the floor. "I haven't gotten around to much cleaning yet, I've been a little...er, busy out back. Hang on, I have a pair of old sandals in my dads' office. You don't mind wearing my shoes do you?"

"Nope," Sakura shook her head. "Not at all." She wiggled her toes subconsciously as she waited.

Moments later, Ayame brought out a pair of sandals that were nearly a perfect fit and seated her at the bar. "I thought your place had been robbed," Sakura said as she watched Ayame return to the kitchen to whip up some kind of breakfast for her. "I saw a gun and the place looked a little wrecked."

"Just another bar fight." She called from the back.

"Fight?" Sakura scrunched up her nose as she looked at the broken chair. "Such brutality. I can't stand fights or the roughians who start them. It's all rather idiotic, wouldn't you say?"

Ayame didn't respond, but Sakura could hear her chuckling.

A few minutes later, Ayame brought out a steaming bowl of chicken-flavored ramen and set it on the counter beside Sakura. "I hope you like ramen, it's all I've got back there right now."

'_It used to be a ramen shop..._' Asuma's words replayed. Figures that they'd only have ramen.

Guh, she usually didn't like that specific noodley dish, but right now she was too hungry and too humbled by Ayame's open kindness that she couldn't have refused the food if she had wanted to. "It's fine, thank you." She expressed her gratitude and held her breath as she tried to swallow it one noodle at a time without chewing it much, because the more she chewed then the more she would taste. And the last thing she wanted to do was taste the slimy stuff.

"No problem," She smiled.

"Ayame, may I ask you something?"

"I guess," Ayame shrugged. "As long as it's nothing too personal, I barely know ya." She teased, her cheerful personality shining through.

Sakura gave her a small smile. "I was just wondering if, um, you know, was Kakashi always like this?" She glanced up from her bowl to see Ayame's confused expression. "I mean, was he always this worthless?" She explained. "I admit, I haven't known him long. I suppose it was stupid of me to trust a man I barely knew."

"Well, yes, it was very unwise of you to hand your life over to a stranger." Ayame reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "But we all make mistakes, and sometimes the sweetest treasures come from our biggest fall outs." Her eyes pointed to Sakura's stomach and her 'unborn child'. "Even if we think they are errors now, you will come to love it with all your heart." Sakura began to blush, she wasn't even pregnant and the woman was already making her feel guilty. "Why do you ask?"

Sakura couldn't look her in the eye. Dang, this was harder than she thought it was going to be. She actually _liked _Ayame, it was always difficult to lie to people you like. "When our child grows up, he will inevitably want to know about his father. I want to have good things to say about him, I don't want him to believe Kakashi was a total loser...even if what he has done to us is wrong." Well, if that wasn't the corniest excuse _ever_.

Ayame looked a little disconcerted. "I guess I can understand that logic...however odd it may be." She quirked her lips in an odd manner that Sakura was sure she would have easily interpreted if she had known Ayame better.

"What of his life?" She asked hastily and instantly drew back into herself. "I mean, what about his family? Where are his parents? Does he have any siblings that would be respectable enough to introduce our child to?"

Ayame scratched the back of her head. "Kinda curious, huh?"

"Yes, sorry," Sakura's blush deepened.

"Kakashi doesn't open up to many people, he's usually private about the personal details in his life. But to anyone who has known him as long as I have, it's common knowledge about his father and Obito, such tender subjects as that."

Sakura was startled into silence. A whole new window was opening up before her, courtesy of Ayame. Her bowl of ramen was forgotten as her eyes fixated on Ayame's face, tapping her chin as if wondering where to start. Hopefully she would start from the beginning. Sakura wanted to know everything of this man whom she had pinned as her brothers killer. The more informed she was, then the better prepared she would be to face him down and confront him.

"His father, Hatake Sakumo, was the chief detective for over thirty years down at the precinct, I never met him, but Kakashi always had good things to say about the guy. I suppose his status as such a highly respected man is what prompted Kakashi to follow in his footsteps." Sakura's gasp was deep and breathy, her heart racing uncontrollably in her chest. She tried desperately to reign in the strange emotions coursing through her body. Detective?'_Homicide Division_' is what his badge had read. "He absolutely adored his father. Can't say I blame him, most sons want to grow up to be just like their dad...uh, sorry." Ayame glanced down at Sakura's stomach again. But Sakura paid no mind to it.

"After Sakumo's suicide, Kakashi swore–"

"Suicide?" Sakura interrupted.

Ayame blinked, her voice softening. "Yes, he...killed himself. Kakashi was only nineteen or twenty at the time, on the very brink of a promotion from patrol officer to detective. He'd been taking day courses at a college and working the night beat when he wasn't studying." She said in a strangled voice. "I hate to say it, but suicide is actually fairly common among homicide detectives, from what I hear. I guess all the stress and years of seeing nothing but dead body after dead body really messes up the brain. And unsolved cases, especially the most gruesome ones, always seem to strike home with them. You see, that's the thing with homicide detectives, their conscious is too big for their own good. They want to bring justice to every victim they cross, but it simply isn't possible. And when they 'fail' to solve a case, some of them presume it to actually be their own fault for not doing their job properly or not working hard enough when they could have done better.

"Not to mention the pressure from the victims' families, some even going so far as to actually accuse the detectives of not even trying. After so many failed cases, a man can only take so much guilt and...well, you know." Ayame looked away for a moment, as if fighting off some emotion she didn't want to show before continuing. "It hit Kakashi pretty hard. Some respected him and his late father. But because of his constant yearning to be like the man he worshiped most, others said he would end up just like Sakumo and kill himself like a coward. He never showed it, but I could tell he was ashamed."

"He had nothing to be ashamed of!" Sakura, for some odd reason, found herself wanting to defend him from such heartless accusations. There was a instant click in Sakura's mind as she had a flashback to her time spent in the Library as she sifted through the Hatake surnames. One of them had been deceased, could that have been...?

"I tried to tell him that, as did all of his friends. He would hear nothing of it and swore up and down the only way he would die would be by the bullet of another man, not by his own hand. The remarks hurt him, but he never stood up for his fathers name after that...listen, I probably shouldn't be telling you all this stuff." She suddenly looked uncertain and a tad nervous. As if talking about his past troubled her. "I don't really enjoy talking about my friends like this, they don't exactly all have perfect records, know what I mean?"

"Please, continue." Sakura touched the back of Ayame's hand and squeezed it. "I _need _to know everything. It's very important to me." She said in a tone that suggested there was a more higher reason to her wish to understand him, a deeper meaning. "_Please_," She repeated in a urgent voice. "I already know about his job, I just want to know about his family. They should know about the child, too." No, Sakura didn't really know all about his occupation as a detective, and no, she wasn't half as interested in his family as she was with his job. But Sakura had conceded to the fact that she wasn't going to get much information by way of Ayame on that subject(the woman probably knew less than Sakura when it came to his cases). She'd just have to pick up bits and pieces as she listened to Ayame expound upon his past. She wasn't getting anything that even remotely pertained to his association with Akira. But as her mama always taught her; don't complain about what the good God gave ya, even if it was very little. Because even the little pieces fit into the puzzle somewhere.

Ayame took a long breath before she began again. "I don't want to reveal too much, if he hasn't already told you then it's not really any of your business. I know his job is usually pretty dependant on keeping his life as a detective private. I think he does some undercover work from time to time, but on what kind of cases I have no clue. Usually drug related homicides, I suppose. I figured he'd recently been on a case, considering I hadn't seen him in so long until last night. He does that occasionally, disappears for an extended period of time and then pops up out of nowhere, usually after a case is complete.

"It worries me sometimes...the things that man has been through. That's why I don't understand the situation he's put you in. It's not like him, he knows how it feels to be on the down side of life. He'd never do that to another person intentionally, let alone to a girl as young and, my apologies, but, helpless as yourself." She shook her head and Sakura wasn't sure how to take in all of this information in such a short amount of time. Was it valid? Of course it was, Ayame didn't even know who she truly was – why would she deign to lie to a 'helpless' girl such as herself.

"And his mother, what of her?"

"Died in child birth, as far as I know. And I don't think she was ever married to Sakumo, either. At least that's what Kakashi always told me." Ayame distractedly picked up a glass mug and began cleaning it with a towel. "He never spoke much of her, not like he did about his father when he was alive. I think he never really felt the need to. You know, seeing as how he never even knew her."

A part of her wanted to break down and cry right there in the bar, the other part trying to remain strong and determined. Not because she felt sorry for him, everyone had tragedy in their past(she was living proof) but she...well, she didn't know why she wanted to cry at the moment. It was hard listening to all this. She had pinned him as the type of man to kill his mother without the of bat a lash. So many of her misconceptions of the man were flying out the window, leaving her flailing for stability like a fish out of water. Putting her back on square one with nothing more than a name to lead her out of the darkness. Hatake.

_Hatake Kakashi is a cop._

There was no denying it.

How could she condemn a cop? It was practically impossible these days with the way courts and laws were set up.

What would she do now? Should she still blame him for Akira's murder? What proof did she have that he was the cause? Nothing, she had absolutely nothing to ground herself and her accusations. Only the fact that Akira had uttered his name in the last seconds that she had seen him alive. And Sakura, blinded by pain...had accused him of murder the moment she saw his name headlining a popular magazine cover, believing it to be her only plausible lead.

Was that logical? Was it honorable or justified? But it all seemed to fit in her mind so easily when she thought about it. Drugs, murdered models, Akira needing money, and a corrupted VP...all of it pointed to Kakashi.

Until now, that is.

But...what right did she have to judge when she admittedly didn't even know all the answers?

"I guess Asuma's the only thing he has that's close to being a brother, they've known each other for over fifteen years. Doesn't he have any siblings?" Sakura asked.

"Asuma? I haven't seen that guy in _years_." There was that far away look in her eyes again, remembering the past. "He still smoke like it's going out of style?"

Sakura tried not to smile, but she did. "Yeah,"

"Figures. He sent me a card for my birthday last year, about a month belated, but it was the thought that counted." Ayame, finished with shining the beer mugs, pulled out a new rack of shot glasses to be polished. "I wouldn't call them so much as 'brothers'. More like begrudging friends. Speaking of which, how's Gai and the gang? Have they been around?"

"Uh, I..." Sakura didn't know anything of this 'Gai'. "No, not recently." There, that wasn't lying at all.

"Hm," Was all she said.

"What happened to Kakashi's eye?" Sakura asked numbly. "And his body...it looks horrible. What did he do to deserve that?"

Ayame suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "I think I've said enough, you should ask him yourself."

"Just tell me." She said more harshly than she had meant, her voice sounding hoarse and raspy.

"It...he..." Ayame cleared her throat. "I don't know all the details, it was so many years ago." She lifted her hand to swipe something out of her eye. Sakura could see something reflecting in her eyes. There was great pain there, great loss. Perhaps she and Kakashi were closer friends than Sakura had originally thought.

"Ayame," She whispered, feeling a tug of affection for the woman. Sakura, too, knew what it was like to loose something precious. She knew that look in Ayame's eyes all too well. She'd looked in the mirror and seen it in her own eyes on far too many occasion.

"He was never the same after that day," She whispered to herself. Ayame had lost a good friend that day, she'd nearly lost two. "He and his partner were..." She blurted out in a soft voice, wanting to be done with it and get the memory out of the way. She was trying to steady her shaking hands on the counter. "They were...I'm sorry, I can't do this." Ayame choked a little on her words. "It isn't my place to be telling you this, any of it."

"It's okay," Sakura, albeit disappointed, respected her. "I understand." She planted her elbows on the counter and wove her fingers together for a place to rest her chin. Feeling totally bummed out.

"You know, they say time heals all wounds, but I think that's nothing but a lie."

"So do I," Sakura lowered her eyes back down to her bowl of noodles, identifying with her pain. "No matter how much the scar fades, the hurt always seems to remain...like a ghost that haunts a home, it sticks in your head like an annoying melody." Ayame frowned as she listened to the detachment in the girls voice. The distance in her eyes.

"Hey," Ayame put a hand on her shoulder again. "Believe it or not, Kakashi's a great guy. A little rough around the edges, but I'm sure if I have a talk with him I could figure out what's going on in his head. There has to be some reason why he's done this to you – though, I doubt any excuse would be deemed good enough in my eyes."

Sakura gulped. She'd overlooked that large obstacle in her story. _Shit_. Ayame would undoubtedly confront Kakashi on the matter of his 'inability' to stand up and take proper responsibility like a man.

Hopefully her cover as Sayuri would be sufficient in keeping her in the safe zone long enough to work some more of the puzzle pieces out in her head. Then again, how often does a rosette haired, skinny, hungover teenager come around claiming that you're her baby's daddy happen to a man? Not unless you're name is Hatake Kakashi and you've got a spiteful Haruno Sakura hot on your heels.

"That would be nice," Sakura smiled. "Maybe you'd be able to talks some sense into him."

"I'm not sure when he'll be back around here again, probably won't drop by anytime soon for sure." Ayame suddenly nudged the bowl of ramen closer to Sakura when she showed no signs of finishing it. "And finish off that bowl, girl. You're eating for two now, you need to get some meat on your bones." Sakura suppressed a gag and obeyed. "Anyways, I could always go down to the precinct and sniff him out, give him a piece of my mind."

"No!" Sakura nearly spat the food out of her mouth. "I mean, you probably shouldn't hunt him down, I don't want you to go out of your way."

"Why not? He lives for his work, he's always doing something down there for Genma so it wouldn't be too hard to find him."

"Genma? Isn't that Shizune's abusive husband?"

Ayame blinked several times, her mouth sliding open. Sakura had the distinct feeling she'd just said something out of place. "Abusive?"

Sakura cleared her throat and hastily stuffed a hefty load of food into her mouth. "I gus I shwouldn't huf sade nuthin. I mean, it's nut lak I know teh guy. Fergit I eva sade n-ething, ha, don't no wen ta keep ma mouth sut. Ya know..."

Ayame winced as she watched Sakura's attempt to cram another mouthful of noodles past her lips and ramble on a few more incoherent sentences. "Kakashi told you this?" Sakura thought about denying that, but thought better of it. "Sounds like he's been spreading rumors about Genma again..." Ayame's shoulders dropped. "Some things never change, I tell ya."

Now she was just plain confused, nothing new about that particular perturbing problem, though. These days she was always getting confounded by strange people. "What? Rumors? I'm sorry, but I thought–"

"Genma's his boss," Ayame said like Sakura was supposed to magically know what she was talking about.

"Well, feh, I _know _that." She lied straight through her teeth again. It seemed Sakura always knew things that she really didn't. Pretending wasn't too hard. "I'm just saying, I don't think you should bother him. Kakashi told me he was still working on a case. I can't interfere in something so important as police work, maybe when he–"

"Don't be crazy, when Genma hear's of this, he'll have Kakashi's head on a platter."

Sakura's jaw clenched. This plan was backfiring right in her face.

"Then again...it would probably be best if I confront this situation on my own. It is my problem, after all. I wouldn't want to burden you."

"You're no trouble at all!" Ayame disagreed. "In fact, if you need a place to stay I have more than enough room. You're always welcome to live with me as long as you need." Her eyes lit up. "And you wouldn't need to worry about rent. And kids? I love 'em."

"Ayame," Sakura breathed, once again struck speechless by her big heart. "I...as much as I wish I could, I think it would be better for me to stay with my family. I hardly know you and my mother would be very upset if I denied her direct involvement in her grandchild's life."

"Oh," Ayame's smile brightened. "That's a sound idea. Nothing like family support, I don't know what I would do without my mother there to back me up all the time. An amazing woman, she is. And my dad, the kind of shit he puts up with around me."

"Yeah...nothing like it." _Family..._

Mom.

Dad.

Akira.

"Sayuri? Hey, are you okay?"

"Just peachy," Sakura plastered on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I hate to cut things short, but I should be going."

"Are you sure? You could stay here a few more hours if you like, until my father comes in and takes over the shift."

"Thank you for the offer, but I can't. Believe it or not I do still have work to do."

"Ah, yes. It's good that you're keeping your spirits up, work does distract the mind to some degree. But I'm telling you, if you ever need anything," Ayame reached under the cash register to pull out a pad of paper and a pluck a pen out of a beer mug perched on the counter full of writing utensils. "This is my number and my address. Stop by or call anytime you like," She beamed as she handed over the slip of paper.

"Thank you so much, I don't really know what to say."

"Geez, don't get all sentimental or anything. I just fed ya a bowl of ramen, no biggie."

"Still," Sakura fingered the piece of paper between her fingers before slipping it into her purse. "Oh!" She suddenly stopped at the door. "You're shoes,"

"Keep them,"

"But I couldn't–" Sakura already had so many shoes Tsunade had helped pick out for her. Expensive ones made of leather and beads and suede and such frilly things that she(admittedly) had grown to love.

"I said keep them," Ayame urged. "I never wear them, anyways."

"Thank you,"

"Enough 'thank you's', get going before you're late for work." She chuckled, her round cheeks lifting in a smile.

"Goodbye, Ayame. And please remember, Kakashi is my problem. If I find out that you confronted him–"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. Now scram." She poked Sakura's thin shoulder. "See ya around."

"Sure...around."

Sakura didn't look back as she walked down the street, making sure she was out of sight before she hailed another cab. That was one of the more unorthodox things she had done this entire mission. Crazy, it was. Dangerous and stupid, but fun as hell and a sure fire way to get information fast.

There was so much weighing on her mind, about Kakashi, her brother and everything else that had troubled her for the past month. After all this, there would be much more considering and calculating to be doing. And even more sidestepping tender subjects. The stress was really getting to her, wearing her out and making her anxious and nervous. She wanted to curl into a ball and cry again like she had this morning in Kakashi's bed. But she never wanted to give up.

A serious wave of self-loathing struck her as a thought occurred to her. A question that had been tugging in the back of her mind for quite sometime, today was certainly not the first she had pondered over it, but hearing Ayame speak of Kakashi as a detective only made the thought resurface. She was ashamed for even _briefly _thinking of putting her brothers' name in the bad light, but...what _had _Akira been doing with drug dealers?

Kakashi was a cop...and cops got rid of drugies and the likes of such. So...maybe she was in the wrong here. Maybe her brother had been the bad guy. He had said it was dangerous work and he was desperate for money. Maybe Kakashi had done the right thing if he had killed him.

What?

No!

Akira would _never _do that. She refused to believe it and knew too better than to run her brothers' good name through the mud. She almost hated herself for bringing it up in her head, like it could have actually been a capable theory.

Bad girl, she scolded herself, stupid very bad girl!

Akira was on Kakashi's side because he was a good guy. Wait, no, Kakashi was bad...but cops aren't bad unless they're corrupted. Asuma had said Kakashi was trouble and trouble equaled _bad_. But Kakashi wasn't corrupted, he was undercover. So why had Akira gotten involved and at what point had things gone wrong between them?

_Oh!_

Sakura grasped at her hair as she shook her head in peril. So confusing! It wasn't fair, it wasn't right and it just didn't make any damn sense.

Her eyes caught sight of the digital clock on the cabi's radio. She had to take a second glance to make sure her eyes weren't lying to her.

It was so late in the morning already! She had completely forgotten herself when she had been talking(lying) to Ayame. What a slacker she was, this wasn't a weekend and although she didn't have any definite schedule for this morning(as of yet) Tsunade would be sure to fix that 'problem'. And with Sakura being out of her apartment, and without her cell phone, the woman was probably going crazy trying to track her down.

She shoved all previous worries to the back burner for the time being and instead focused all her efforts on praying to the deities to spare her from Tsunade's wrath. The woman was sure to be just as hung over as Sakura, and she had even gotten up earlier, the probability of the busty blonde being congenial today was slim to none.

Boy, what a way to ruin her day.

-

"Butcher's Block. You slay 'em, we fillet 'em. Baby lamb is our specialty, what can I do for you?" Kakashi answered his cell phone with a sardonically impatient voice, not bothering to check the caller I.D.

"Where the hell are you?" The crash of a fist slamming into a desk reached the speaker of his phone. "I've been trying to get through to the modeling company for the past two hours. God damn it, Hatake this is the last time I'm going to put up with–"

"Sweety cakes," Kakashi took a sip from the Starbucks coffee he'd picked up on his way in to work. Service there was terrible, honestly he'd had to wait nearly an hour in line. Totally put him behind schedule, then there was all that mid-morning traffic. And he couldn't forget to mention he'd gotten pulled over twice in the same hour for not using his turn signal, he could always use that as another excuse. "You know all that yelling is bad for your blood pressure."

"Will you just shut up for five seconds!"

"Five seconds Earth time? Or Mars time?"

"Five seconds of reality time, you ass."

"Oh, in that case, what do you need, darling? Did you forget to pick the kids up from school again? Want something special for dinner tonight? You're not cheating on me, are you?"

"I need you to meet me and Jiraiya down at the docks in thirty minutes. Think you can handle that on your own, or do I need to send Asuma to hold your hand?"

"Only if you promise to spoon tonight after we make love."

"Just make sure you're not followed," Genma ignored him. "And for precautions sake, try dock Nine out first. If we're not there, then promptly leave."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, contemplating. "Why all the fuss? Is something up?"

"We'll talk when you get down here."

"Fair enough,"

"If you're late, I'm going to shoot you. Got it?"

"Aye, aye, capt'n." Kakashi mocked.

"Asshole."

"Careful," Kakashi warned. "All that sweet talk is going to spoil me."

"Rot in hell, Hatake!"

Kakashi felt himself smile a little at finally succeeding in pissing him off this morning. "I bet you say that to all the guys."

_Click. _

He had to give the guy credit, Genma was getting better at disregarding Kakashi's efforts to raise his chances of an apoplectic stroke before age fifty.

-

"Geez, do you think you could have chose a more disgustingly smelly dock, Genma?" Kakashi grimaced as he walked(limped) onto the pier. The place was surrounded by crates and heavy machinery and was an enclosed space for the most part. The stench of oil and gas and dirty sea water left an unpleasant taste in ones mouth.

The man was leaning against a silver unmarked Oldsmobile that he occasionally used for undercover jobs, tapping his foot impatiently. "Twenty minutes, Hatake," Genma was looking at his watch...a menacing black Glock dangling in his other hand. Kakashi didn't doubt he'd already had it cocked and loaded, his name was surely on the side of one of those bullets.

"What?" He took a hand out of his pocket and held it palm up in the universal gesture for 'give me a break'. "Come on, the place was all the way across town. I was trying to loose anyone who might have been following me," He explained with his other hand still in his pocket, not the least intimidated by the gun. Besides, he was actually telling the truth. Kakashi had parked over six blocks away, walked around in circles forever and backtracked through numerous nasty alleys for no apparent reason other than he felt like it(not to mention it was his lame excuse at trying to 'loose' any potential snoopers). He had tried to show up on time, and this is how the guy thanks him. The definition of gratitude must have changed since he'd last looked it up.

Genma glanced around cautiously, examining the perimeter for the tenth time since he'd arrived. "Fair enough," He said when he was satisfied there was no one trailing his subordinate. "Get in," He motioned to the car, the windows heavily tinted. He was in a docile enough mood for the moment to let the tardy slide. That is, until he got a good look at Kakashi's face. "Shit!" Genma gasped, widened his eyes, and then proceeded to dangle on the straining verge of laughter.

The man looked like a wild thing that had just crawled out of a back alley. His clothes were ruined and ripped in some places. Blood smears all over his white collar. His eyes were unusually bloodshot and dreary, not to mention one was nearly swollen completely shut. The bottom of his lip looked worse for the wear and the beginnings of a beard could be seen shadowing his chin. Genma didn't doubt the man was still half drunk.

Kakashi narrowed his unswollen eye menacingly. "Say one word and you're a dead man."

Genma, unable to resist, continued. "You haven't shown up to work looking that shitty in years. Who kicked your ass this time? Please, tell me it was Asuma." Genma shook his head. "Remind me to thank him later."

"Remind me to spill ink in your coffee later." Kakashi retorted and began limping his way to the car. This, undubiously, of course caused Genma to positively laugh harder.

"Sure thing, _gimp_." Genma cackled.

Ignoring the goading, Kakashi swallowed back the pain in his gut and bravely marched onward to the car. Whatever physical agony he was suffering he was sure he deserved it and refused to complain. It was his penance for being such a...such a, well, a loser. "You wanna explain what's going on?" Kakashi asked as he slipped into the passengers seat. "It's irregular for you to call up a meeting with me outside the briefings and way out here at the docks, no less. Is something wrong?"

"Kakashi, my man!" A deep voice erupted from the back seat.

"Hey, Jiraiya." He glanced over at Genma as he gracefully slid behind the wheel, practically ignoring the third party as he started up the car and gestured to the guy in the back. "I thought he was supposed to be in hiding with social services."

"He was." Genma gave the old man a dirty look over his shoulder. Uh-oh, that definitely didn't sound like good news, Kakashi thought.

"What can I say?" Jiraiya grinned sheepishly. "I'm not a patient man. Who could blame me, you're the worst stand-in president a modeling company could ever have – not to mention they've got me shacked up in some little apartment and refuse to provide me with any sake! What do you expect me to do?"

"To keep your mouth shut until this whole thing blows over."

"And watch my investments go down the drain? No way."

"There's been lives lost, Jiraiya." Genma reminded him as he merged onto a highway that led away from the docks.

"And you two don't seem to be doing a damn thing about it."

The men in the front seat were quiet.

"We're trying. Just give us time." Kakashi said.

"Yeah," Jiraiya crossed his arms and leaned casually back into the leather of his seat, not wearing his seatbelt. "I can tell, progress usually is defined by losing not just one man to your enemies, but _two_. Oh wait, that second one wasn't exactly a team player, now was he?"

Kakashi clenched his jaw, bit his cheek and stared out the window, praying that Genma wouldn't question Jiraiya's derogatory comment on his partner.

"Don't be surprised if I've already sent in a man of my own."

"What?" Kakashi, for the first time, turned back to look at him. A frown dutifully made its marring appearance on his face. Jiraiya, seeing Kakashi's abused face, pressed his lips in a tight line. He was apparently trying to remain professional in this discussion and not laugh at the undercover detectives' relatively ugly visage. What a child, and that old toad was over twenty years his senior.

Sensing the growing tension between the two, and knowing one was undoubtedly about ready to explode at the other(Jiraiya to ridicule and Kakashi to defend himself) Genma cleared his throat.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Genma, just as nonplused about Jiraiya's secret agent as Kakashi, looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Says he's got a man infiltrating Orochimaru's _and _our defenses as we speak."

"Damn strait."

"You're insane!" Kakashi had the decency to be shocked.

"Maybe, but at least I've started to gather information!" He boasted.

"He wouldn't talk, not until we were both present." Genma said. "Can't say I didn't threaten to beat it out of him." Everyone knew that was a big bluff, Genma was about as violent as a house plant.

"I'm not sure if I'm interested in what he has to say."

"Too bad," Jiraiya stretched out like a lazy cat and baited his lure. "Guess that means you wouldn't want to know about Kimimaro's plans for you, Kakashi..." He tossed the lure. "And my mans' rank in Orochimaru's syndicate..." He jiggled the lure and waited.

"Plans?" Kakashi asked.

His game nibbled at the bait.

"I find another deal might need to be put into effect." He jerked the lure just out of his preys' reach. "Staying in a stuffy little apartment, no women, no alcohol...it's rough for a man my age."

"Anything would be rough for a man your age..." Kakashi mumbled.

"I'm sure I could pull some strings, arrange better living standards for you." Genma recovered the moment that Kakashi had just spoiled.

Not quite there yet...

"Standards?" Jiraiya taunted, tugging the worm just a tad more.

"We couldn't secure you anything too close to the city."

"Too risky," Kakashi agreed.

"But maybe in the country or suburbs." Genma wondered aloud.

"Plenty of room, lots of women." Kakashi looked to his chief and nodded in agreement.

"All the beer a man could drink. Yes, I think it's possible." Genma submitted.

_Snap!_

Jiraiya gleefully reeled in his catch. A big, fat smile on his face. However, he couldn't shake the feeling he'd just been played at his own game. Whatever their ploy may be, he still considered himself the victor – he would get what he wanted either way.

"Alright, what would you like to know gentlemen?"

"Kimimaro, you mentioned his plans for Kakashi."

"Ah, yes. The delightful Kaguya. Retched back stabber," Jiraiya's usually carefree face molded into a frown of sorts. Thinking of all he had done for the man, then to learn Kaguya had used him like a dishrag to murder his models and wipe his bloody hands on. His own girls! It infuriated him every time he thought of it. "As my agents' position in Orochimaru's ring is steadily growing he is also allowed more information pertaining to drug related issues."

"So this 'agent' hasn't even encountered Orochimaru as of yet?" Genma asked, interrupted actually.

"Unfortunately, no. I would have contacted you immediately if we would have even gathered that much evidence as such." Jiraiya thought he heard Genma mumble a 'damn' but wasn't sure. "I know, it's Orochimaru you want, and you can't take him down until you have substantial enough evidence to take him into custody and try him in court."

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Kimimaro, you were saying."

"My agent informs me that Kakashi's name has been mentioned quite frequently in their little gang as of late. Some of it good, some bad. Kabuto wants to reign you in and take advantage of your apparent lust for woman and your interest in drugs, Kimimaro still doesn't trust you and is just _dying _to murder you like he did that rat you'd sent him."

"No doubt," Genma said, still driving the car around town in no particular direction.

"I've already sent him one bad man. In which I of course denied all involvement of knowing Akira was connected to the police. I can see why he's still wary of me."

"And then there's your plotting little partner."

"His name is Sasuke." Kakashi snapped.

"Ah, I take it from your tone you already know. Feh. His name could be mud, for all I care. God only knows what kind of information the sellout may have leaked."

"Uchiha Sasuke? Kakashi, what is he talking about? I thought Sasuke was–"

"So he hasn't told you?" Jiraiya suddenly laughed. "He knows and he hasn't told you? Oh, this is rich!"

"Told me what?" Genma slowed the car and braked at a stop sign, taking the opportunity to glace over at Kakashi.

"Well, go on, Hatake. Spill it." Jiraiya nudged his shoulder.

"Yes, do tell."

_Damn_. He was going to get ripped a new asshole for this one. Kakashi made a mental note to self; kill Jiraiya when this case was over.

"Sasuke's still alive." He confessed without stalling. "And he's working for Orochimaru."

Genma was deathly silent, Jiraiya was watching from the back seat as if enjoying a dramatic movie.

"I see." Was all he said.

Was that it? Surely he would be more upset than that. Despite himself, this was one time Kakashi didn't want to piss Genma off.

"And do we have reason to believe he has broken his guise?"

"No, if so, I believe Kabuto and Kaguya wouldn't show half as much interest in me as a possible drug colleague as they do."

"Jiraiya, do you agree?"

The older man shrugged. "My agent hasn't brought me evidence to the contrary. The boy doesn't seem to show any inclination of 'tattling' on you. But it is believed that he now has personal ties with Orochimaru, if anything has been said, it wouldn't have reached my agent's ears so low on the food chain."

"I see." Genma repeated himself, which was really starting to work on Kakashi's nerves. The silent treatment possibly was the worst punishment of all. It always left one wondering what sort of pain the punisher might inflict. "We can't refrain from judgement any longer." He spoke in a subdued tone. "The fact that he has remained under Orochimaru's influence for such an extended period of time without contacting me or his partner can only lead us to believe he is a traitor."

Kakashi looked away, not wanting to hear this.

"As such, he is a wanted man and is, as of this moment, relieved of any and all titles as an officer of the eighty-ninth district. God, the paperwork I'm going to have to do on this back at the office is going to be hell."

Kakashi felt his heart drop. He'd recovered Sasuke from the ooze of crime no more than three years ago and guided him into becoming a remarkable young man. He didn't want to be the one on the sidelines watching as he threw it all away. It was like taking three steps forward and ten steps back, the regression was catastrophic.

"I think it would be best if we waited–"

A cold glare from Genma cut him off. "From the sounds of things, you've known about this for some time. Wouldn't you say you've waited long enough?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I only found out just yesterday."

"But you suspected?"

"Didn't we all?" Kakashi yawned, trying to remain detached as per usual.

"I see." Damn, Kakashi wished he'd stop saying that. "You realize you will be subject to penalty for not reporting this immediately?"

"Yes," What else is new? Kakashi had enough written warnings to fill a small stadium.

"Why?" Genma asked, glancing at the other man. Some measure of trust gone from his voice. "Did you think you could save him?"

"I believe Sasuke is smarter than that." Kakashi offered some measure of explanation, hoping Genma would understand. "I'm sure he has his reasons, but I can't say that I whole heartedly agree with his decisions thus far."

"You can say that again," Jiraiya grumbled.

"Besides," Kakashi started scratching the back of his head. "I've practically raised the kid for the past three years. What could go wrong?"

There was certain stretch of silence that followed, neither Genma or Jiraiya yet willing to comment. Jiraiya of course was the first to open his mouth. "Poor kid, no wonder he took his chances with Orochimaru."

"Don't you have some woman to go molest?"

"Enough," Genma intervened. "The only thing we need to be worrying about is getting Kakashi into that ring with little to no suspicion." But how? They'd been trying to do that for the past four months.

"They're sure to be checking in on him more and more frequently now that Kabuto is thinking of making the first step to initiate him. I'm certain they'll be putting the moves on you either tonight or tomorrow. So be on the lookout." Jiraiya mentioned.

"And as such, my contact with either of you will be cut off until the end of the case." Kakashi voiced what each of them were thinking.

"Bingo," Genma said.

"Who will I give my reports to?"

"Asuma...and they'll be _oral _reports." Christ, Kakashi _really _wanted to roll his eyes right about now.

"Figures," Kakashi said.

"Do all the dirty work you can, no matter how rotten, don't hesitate. You know how everything works, so I don't need to explain much further."

"Yeah," Kakashi gave him a short nod.

"Any questions?"

"I have one," Kakashi turned back to Jiraiya. The old man smiled. His hair was nearly as wild as Kakashi's, only Jiraiya's seemed to be neatly groomed into the loose style. His smile was broad, as was everything else about the toad. "Who exactly is this secret agent of yours?" He asked.

"Oh, you'll know him when you see him," Jiraiya examined his nails lazily with no real interest. A mysterious smirk lining his mouth as he met Kakashi's questioning stare. "Or should I say..._her_."

------

**For** **Xhex, an **_**awesome **_**fan!**

**Please go easy on me, this chapter was so boring to write. **


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**...**

'_It's not hard to find the truth. What is hard is not to run away from it once you found it._'

...

Ino sighed as she lay stretched out on the cool sheets of her messy bed. Lounging on her side in the room of her modernized apartment. The light glowing from her cell phone illuminated her face in the darkness of her room as she brought it close to read the text message someone had just sent her. '_Hey, u should come out 2night. Shikamaru's throwing a party for his girl, call me._'

Chouji, she smiled knowingly without even looking at the number. An old friend who had, over the years, been dubbed the name 'Chubby Chouji.' She shook her head in silent laughter.

'_No thanks. Busy w/ work._' Was all she wrote back. Brooding over the fact she'd have to miss out on another good time, not even having it within her power to throw a crazy party of her own while she was still on a mission.

Sakura's own place was just down the hall, she wasn't surprised when Sakura had denied her offer of sharing the lease and move in together.

Instead, all Ino could do was move into the empty apartment a few doors down. At least her unassuming friend hadn't protested to that idea. Either way, Ino was going to keep a vigilant eye on the girl 24-7, with or without Sakura's permission.

Ino frowned, the thought of the girl brought a worried knit between her soft blonde brows. Sakura had been so distant these past few days. To be certain, there was something troubling her newfound friend. Her green eyes were almost hollow, devoid of any emotion. As if she were pondering something very, very deeply important. Heaven only knew, Barbie Girl always had something brewing in her mind, one could easily tell just by looking into her sharp eyes she knew something everyone else did not. Whether she did know the secrets of the world or not, yet remained the mystery.

But now, it was so different. She hardly talked, hardly ate and barely seemed aware of the world around her.

Kakashi had been pretty scarce of late as well. She had hardly heard from the detective and she was fairly certain Sakura had not seen him since the night they had spent at his place gambling and drinking away the hours. The morning after that crazy night, Sakura had shown up to the agency despite it being a work free weekend. Ino had, of course, tagged along and was completely at a loss to Sakura's utter change in demeanor and personality. She was quieter than usual, and when Tsunade ordered her about to do ridiculous things that need no tending, Sakura had obediently obliged to the pointless task. Her shoulders slumped more and Ino often found her staring off into space, slow to respond to a sentence directed at her person. At first, it just seemed like a bad hangover, but two days later Sakura was still a void, pitiful black hole of despair...ugh, how depressing!

Ino's inner instincts kicked in as she thought of the worst possible outcome – that of a scandalous man and a drunken woman sharing a room together. She didn't want to think that a man like Kakashi, although rude and outrageous at times, but respectable and honorable regardless, would ever do such a terrible thing to an intoxicated female. And she knew Sakura, drunk or not, was too stubborn and strong-willed to let a man dominate her without her permission. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but her patience was growing thinner and thinner the more Sakura tried to avoid the man, or how she would shrivel into the background each time his name was mentioned.

Something had to be done.

With determination set in her eyes, Ino picked her phone back up and began to dial the number to Sakura's cell. Hell bent on getting some answers from the girl.

A knock on the door interrupted her before she could finish the call and she cleared the screen before throwing the phone to the side as she walked out of her bedroom and into the entertainment area to open the door.

Her mouth shot into a joyous smile when she saw who it was, but pride quickly set her lips straight as she frowned at the man on the opposite side of the threshold. She remembered she still had yet to forgive him for stealing her strawberry jam donut when they had breakfast yesterday morning.

Quickly righting herself, Ino greeted the tall man in front of her with a small scowl.

"Can I help you?" She inquired dryly.

"I doubt it," He clipped back. Well, she thought, someone was in a foul mood.

"What do you want, Asuma?" Planting an impatient hand on her hip, she cocked her eyebrow and skipped straight to the point.

"Heh, nice to see you too, darling." He maneuvered past her, inviting himself in as he entered her entertainment room and made himself at home on the sofa. Her narrowed blue eyes studied him for a moment in his loose fitting jeans and button up black pollo as he stretched out and threw his forearm over his eyes, as if the light pained him. He sighed deeply, she half expected him to begin on some long spiel, like he was making an unappointed visit to his therapist. But instead of barking out his problems, or more orders like he usually gave her, he didn't even utter a word.

"Is something wrong?" She ventured cautiously.

"No,"

Ino crossed her arms loosely, holding casually to her elbows. "Is something _right_?" She smiled a little as she tip toed closer to his prone, rather limp, figure sprawled out across the sofa cushions.

He paused for a moment and she saw a small smirk on his lips. "No," She heard the laughter in his voice at her silly question. Nothing ever seemed to go smoothly for poor Asuma.

"So if nothing is wrong and nothing is right, what is it that you want?" She crouched down by his side, folding her legs beneath her as she propped her elbows on his chest, relaxing and deciding to at least attempt to be tolerable for him...well, just for the moment. Heaven knew, she had already given him his fare share of grey hair and would only continue to do so. Sure, he didn't deserve half the sass she gave him. But she couldn't help it, it was in her nature to be a pain in his butt. And most everyone else's butts, too.

It brought her much pleasure and happiness to be the bane of his day. If only she could find a way to bottle that sweet satisfaction that she received when she won their little battles, getting to watch as he ran his hand through his hair and took a long, ominous breath as he turned away from her before his mellow temper snapped and he might do something he'd regret; like smack her. Hell, even Ino believed she needed a good thrashing every now and then for the trouble she gave him.

But he never would. And perhaps that's why she continued to push him at some points; because she knew she could get away with it every time.

"Food." The word broke her thoughts.

"Hm?" She tilted her head. Food? The word wasn't a request. It was more like a plead. A desperate call for sustenance.

She forced herself not to giggle.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work right now?" She asked.

"I'm on break." He was keeping his sentences short, too tired to give her anything solid. She knew the man well, the signs of fatigue were clear enough.

"I didn't know 'shadows' needed breaks," She pressed for more info. Asuma was never one to shirk his duties. He was supposed to be helping Kakashi out. Not lounging about her pad like a hibernating bear. So if he was here... "Who's watching out for the big guy?"

There was a slight hesitation in the air. "Genma's taking it easy on the whole stakeout thing. There's some new–and old–agents that seem to be surfacing...and besides, Gai's back."

"_Oh_." Was all she said. Well, this was getting interesting. "I take it this means you won't have to work as much with another man on the job?"

"Oh, no. Genma's still having me run around like a chicken with its head cut off, I'm just taking some personal time off."

"And is Genma aware of this little 'lunch hour'?"

"No, and I you'd have a good mind not to mention it to him either. I'm getting too old for this twenty-four seven, seven days a week shit."

"Maybe if you wouldn't eat so much fast food and drink so much coffee _and _smoke five packs a day–"

"I didn't come here for a lecture," He lifted his arm and glared at her. "I came here for some real food, I don't think I can take another bite of take-out. Now, if you wouldn't mind?" He raised his brows and gave her an expecting look. Waiting for her to hop up and march off to the kitchen at his bidding.

"Ha! That's rich," She rolled her eyes. "And what makes you think I'm going to play waitress for you? I do have other things to do," Her heart fluttered awkwardly when he smiled at her from behind his trim beard. She didn't like that feeling, or how often she got it.

"Like what?"

"Like protecting a life, namely Sakura's."

"She's just down the hall."

"How do you know?" She retorted, knowing full and well Sakura was only a few doors down. "She may not even be home."

"She's home, I heard her...ah, yelling...on the phone with Tsunade as I passed her room."

"How do you know it was Tsunade?"

"They were arguing over Brazilian waxes...honestly, who else?"

"I see," Ino nodded, conceding to his logic. "But don't you have a fiancé to cook for you?" She asked. He gave her an odd look, as if warning her to tread softly when walking on the landmine. He wasn't in a very flexible mood at the moment.

"Kurenai's not back from her vacation yet." He explained. "Even so, she can't cook a steak the way you can."

"Don't think flattery is going to get you anywhere with me." She pushed away from the couch and poked at him playfully. He groaned and swatted her annoying hand away. "Seriously, what's up with you?"

"Kakashi's been acting weird. Ever since that night..." He stared blankly at the ceiling, not wanting to give her any reason to be suspicious.

"He forced her to sleep with him, didn't he?" She exclaimed as if she had just solved an unsolvable mystery. "I knew it, that low down, dirty..." She fumed, her fists starting to clench tightly.

Asuma rubbed his temples harder. "I didn't _say _that." He snapped at her and she scrunched her nose up at him. "Kakashi isn't the type to force himself on a woman, he has plenty of amours across town to keep his cock satisfied." Ino blushed softly and Asuma quickly checked his tongue. Even though she was a little brat, sometimes he could forget he couldn't talk to her the same way he talked to the guys down at the station. "He's lazy, Ino, not lewd." He assured her. "Next time, don't push the alcohol on people so much. Especially on one who's obviously never drank."

Ino's shoulders sagged a little guiltily. "I'm sorry. I thought he could be trusted."

"He can be trusted," Asuma explained. "He...I think he cares for her in some way. He feels it's his job to protect her after he failed her brother so badly." But the point Kakashi was missing, is that it never was his fault.

She didn't seem to be quite so convinced. "If you say so..." She crossed her arms and quirked her mouth in a defensive way that made him want to laugh. "I'm still going to confront Sakura about it. She's been acting really distant lately, too."

"Good, tell me what you find out. If he's done anything to her, _I'll _take care of it, okay?"

He narrowed his eyes on her when she didn't immediately comply by agreeing with his request. She had her hands behind her back...and when she did that it usually meant her fingers were crossed. Now, to a person as shady Ino, simply crossing ones fingers was a justifiable enough reason to lie. Sitting up quickly, he snatched her arm and jerked her down for a little tete-a-tete. "Do you hear me, Ino? I don't want you butting into things that aren't any of your business. This case is hard enough as it is, the last thing we need is for you to go pulling your little shenanigans."

"Not my business?" She tried to wrench away, but his grip was firm. "Ha! You're a hypocrite. Sakura is my business, she's my only objective right now. I'm supposed to keep her safe, isn't that the point of being one's _bodyguard_?" And a friend...

"And what a job you're doing of it, you didn't even know if she was still in her apartment. I can't believe you're actually one of _my_ trainees." He suddenly released her, as if disgusted.

She knew he was grumpy, hungry and tired. But there was a fine line between criticism and cold-hearted meanness. And Asuma often crossed that line. Just like right now. "If Kakashi is one of the asshole's I have to protect her from, then so be it. If he laid a hand on her, I'm reporting it straight to Genma. And don't think I won't include your name when he asks me who was protecting Kakashi from the noose." She stood erect with her back stiff, accusing him with her icy eyes. Hiding the pain of his last statement, after words like that she would never admit that she knew exactly where Sakura was at nearly all times of the day. She just wanted the girl to be safe...and happy.

"You know, you're not as important as you think you are. I can take you off this case in the blink of an eye. All it would take is a phone call." In one smooth motion, he stood. His stature much taller and larger than hers. His shoulders broad and intimidating. But he didn't scare her, it was hard to be frightened of the man who had taught her how to bring down a human twice her size with a quick jab and the flick of a wrist. "One phone call is all it would take. Just one." He loomed over her, his bad mood making her feel like the room was getting smaller, shrinking her into nothing.

"Are you trying to threaten me, Asuma?" She said nonchalantly. Ignoring the flutter of apprehension in her gut that was warning her not to poke the porcupine. "Please believe me when I say there is nothing you could do or say that could frighten me into resignation. Sakura is my only concern at this point, not your over-inflated ego or your 'inflicting' accusations on my capability as her protector."

She nearly shrieked when he grabbed her arm again, clenching it tightly. Her eyes narrowed dangerously when his fingers only tightened more and more. Bruising her skin. "Well, well, someone's temper is finally rising to the surface." She taunted, guising the fact that her knees were quaking. "Your shackles must really be raised. You're usually so calm, Asuma. Why so frustrated lately?" She conversed as if nothing tense were passing between them at the moment. Carrying on a perfectly normal conversation. "Missing your betrothed?"

The temperature suddenly dropped another few degrees and she watched as his jaw quickly flexed.

Their eyes were locked. His body taut and restrained, holding back his anger. While she remained uncaring and aloof. She smiled at him sweetly and the heat in his brown eyes seemed to smolder anew.

Ino paused, her smile faltering. That smartellic smile had just pushed him over the edge of something.

The fire in his eyes confused her. He clearly wanted to commit some form of gruesome homicide upon her person...but there was something clearly new. He was holding something back. Something that appeared far more sinister and terrible.

She shivered and his fingers dug deeper. The tickle of a tiny drop of blood as a nail breeched a small bit of skin.

The soft cry that barely escaped her lips made her clench her jaw shut to repress another sound as the pain grew. Her eyes remaining stubborn and defiant. In the next second, she could have sworn she felt him begin to tug her closer to his body. His other hand raising to drift just above the skin of her other arm, yearning to hurt...or maybe just...touch. Heat seared her veins before he released her and shoved himself away. Running his hand through his hair and turning away from her like he always did when he was defeated.

"Whatever," He scowled and dropped back down onto the couch. He conceded and let her win the battle. "Just go fix me something to eat."

For once, Ino didn't say anything. She just grabbed her gently bleeding arm and turned to the kitchen. Her feet shuffling quickly as she left the room.

Her knees were still shaking and her hands were trembling as she washed off a potato to bake.

Half an hour later they were sitting in silence as she watched TV and he ate his food. It was the first time she had ever truly felt awkward around him.

A quick thank you and a short goodbye and he was gone. Ino wrapped her arms around herself and curled into a tight ball, trying not to think about anything but the slapstick sitcom playing on her television.

.

_She was sitting at the dinner table, sunshine was beaming through the wide windows casting a soft white haze throughout the kitchen. It smelt clean, like lemons, and warm like the food her mother was preparing. It was lunchtime and her mother had just called her in to eat. _

_She had been playing outside in the sandbox, it was so sunny outside she hadn't wanted to come in. She was laughing and chasing the family dog and trying to catch butterflies (with little success) in the warm weather. Simple childhood things that she carelessly took for granted. How could she have known? She was just a kid, those kinds of thoughts never did and never should linger in a childs' mind. _

"_Sakura! For heaven's sake, go wash your hands." Her mother shook her head. Soft pink curls falling around a pretty, round face. Her spitting image. _

"_I don't feel like it right now, can't I wash them after I eat?" _

_A deep laughter drew her attention from her mother. A large hand ruffled her hair. "Do as your mother says." Funny, she couldn't really see the face that belonged to that warm hand._

"_But, daaad..." She groaned, she hated it when he did that. _

"_I bet you can't beat me to the bathroom!" A young boy with vibrant green eyes suddenly burst into the room in a whirlwind of messy hair, smudged face and dirt under the toenails of his bare feet. As quick as he had rushed in, he had vanished. _

_Sakura's cheeks puffed up at the challenge. _

"_Nuh-uh!" She retorted and took off after him, only hearing a faint protest from her mother and a chuckle from her father behind her. He cut a corner and picked up speed in the straightaway of the hall. Light suddenly engulfed them as they ran through the billowing white curtains and the glowing streams of the sun. Laughing and racing down the long hall, feet pattering on the shiny hardwood floor. _

_This..._This was home.

"_Akira, you cheater, you got a head start!" She huffed out, trying to catch up with him. He was always ahead, always leaving her behind...alone._

"_Slow poke!" He teased over his shoulder. His childish laughter echoed down the halls and to her ears..._

"_Wait, Akira!" She demanded. He didn't seem to hear her as he kept running, heading for the dark abysmal chasm at the end of the hall. "Wait, don't leave me!" _

"Sakura!" The harsh bark broke through her thoughts.

"Huh...oh, yes?" Her head snapped up to Tsunade, sitting in the chair of her desk like a queen upon her regal throne. The room was dark and felt cold in comparison...her fingers quickly touched at something wet running down her cheek. She gasped softly in surprise to realize it was a tear. Sakura frowned. How annoying...

"You've been sitting over there for the past hour without even saying a word. I love your company, dear, but hun...it's creeping me out."

Sakura looked shocked. She hadn't even realized... Tsunade shook her head when the girl still said nothing.

"I need you to run a little errand for me, anyways. You need to get out this whole daze phase thing. It isn't healthy." Tsunade reached into the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a few files. Sakura stood from her seat across the room and approached.

"What is it?" Sakura asked as she took the papers.

"Nothing much, just some percentage quotes of yours and Ino's salary. Tax information, etc..."

"Oh,"

"I want you to take them up to Kakashi for me." Tsunade's sharp eyes closely gauged the way Sakura's body tensed and her face paled.

"Actually, I was just about to go to lunch..." Sakura stammered.

"Good, then you can take them on your way out."

"But, he's all the way on the top floor."

"We do have elevators."

"I don't think they were running earlier. Bad wiring, or something like that."

"_Stairs_."

"I'm very out of shape..."

"_Sakura_!" Tsunade snapped, slamming her hands on her desk. "You either get your ass up there and get over this silly little phobia you suddenly have...or I'm going to make you regret the day you ever set eyes on me." Tsunade didn't get it, had she missed something? One day the girl was obsessed with the man, the next she shriveled into a corner at the mere thought of him. Something was wrong...

More often than not, Sakura was caught staring off into oblivion. And Tsunade suspected it wasn't _just _Kakashi at the center of Sakura's inner turmoil. Perhaps a little one on one time with the girl later would help. Tsunade made a mental note to have lunch or perhaps dinner with Sakura at some later point this week. A bit of girl talk might do the trick and relieve some of the pressure off Sakaru's shoulders.

Sakura gulped. "Fine." She said with what little dignity she had left and turned to walk out of the office. "But I don't have a phobia of anything." She stated coldly as she slammed the door behind her.

She felt nervous as she wrapped her arms tightly around the small stack of papers that had to be delivered. Entering the elevator and riding it to what she knew would be an awkward if not unpleasant confrontational encounter with the man she was hereby officially confused, engrossed and entrapped.

There was no secretary at the desk as she walked up to the large doors of his office. She wondered if she should even knock. Was he even here?

Deciding to at least be civil, she raised her hand and rapped softly on the wood.

"Yes?" His voice called out assertively. It sent shivers down her spine.

"It...it's me." She was quiet, submissive, shy...she sounded like a damned wimp. _Get a grip, Sakura._

There was a long silence and she swallowed hard.

The door suddenly opened. Her heart skipped. But why? Nerves? Excitement? God, definitely not excitement.

He stood tall, she had almost forgot how tall he was. Only a few days had passed, but it seemed much longer. All her time was spent at work with Tsunade, and if not that, Ino was always following her somewhere, picking fights and getting on her nerves.

But she hadn't heard a word from Kakashi. He had all but disappeared from everywhere save her thoughts. She thought about him and their dilemma constantly. She'd created many theories of her own...were they correct? Who knew. Nothing seemed to make much sense these days.

She took in a good look at him. Still as unflappable and reserved as ever. Clothing in awful disarray...that shirt probably hadn't seen a ironing board in its lifetime.

However, there was something in his eyes that his face was trying to hide, oddly enough it made her want to lick her lips, for they began to feel dry and tight. Had he missed her? Or had he barely noticed that she was never around? He seemed so unlike his cocky, relaxed normal way of greeting her. He didn't call her princess, he didn't smile, he didn't do anything. He looked stiff and rigid. Why did that bother her so much? Was he finally starting to show his true colors? Or was she just forcing him to change. Her chest nearly clenched at that...she hated him, but she didn't want him to change. What a contradiction she was becoming.

Everything about him was steadfast, she didn't want that stability to go away.

"What do you need?" He asked calmly.

Sakura froze.

What had she come up here for? She suddenly couldn't remember. All she could think of was that shiny, well polished badge. The story Ayame had told her. Akira's possible involvement with drug dealers. The way she had _wanted _him to be on top of her that night. Too many thoughts attacking her in such a small moment. She had to focus on the moment at hand, not the ones that had already passed.

Kakashi cleared his throat and Sakura lowered her head and blushed. She was being far too spacey the past few days.

"I was supposed to give these to you," She spoke up suddenly in what she hoped was a casual tone. "Tsunade asked me..."

He held out his hand and Sakura relinquished them to him. Kakashi opened the file and quickly flipped through the pages to assess the contents. She tilted her head in confusion when she heard him chuckle.

"There's nothing in these documents, Sakura." He smiled and handed the papers back to her.

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"It's nothing but blank paper." He said.

"But...but Tsunade said it was tax information and..." She opened the file up for herself and frowned at what she saw. That damn old woman had set her up. When was she going to learn to mind her own business.

"You know," Sakura's head snapped up when Kakashi rested his elbow on the doorframe above her head, leaning in slightly. When had he gotten so close? "You don't have to make excuses to come see me." His smile was cocky and self-assured. Much more what she was used to seeing from him.

"I didn't-"

"I know, I know." He interrupted. "You didn't want to come see me...Tsunade forced you...if it were up to you, you'd never want to see my face again, right? Heh, I figured you'd be too chicken shit to come up here on your own, anyways." He turned and began walking toward his desk, hands nestled deep within the pockets of his grey pants.

"Chicken _what_? Excuse me, but if I recall correctly you were the one to turn tail and run out of your bedroom that night." She stuck out her chin defiantly. Ready for a face-off. It wasn't her original intention coming up here, she had planned on being pleasant. But now she wanted a fight.

He stopped, his back still to her.

"You had your chance..." She took a step forward. Hating him for keeping secrets and knowing he would never share them with her. "What are you afraid of?" She whispered with a hint of acid, staring at the back of his head. Purposefully trying to taunt him. Men always hated to be labeled as 'afraid.' It was a straight aim for his pride.

"Chances..." He breathed, she could hear the bitter laugh. Subtle, but there. "You're too young to understand anything." He was so motionless, she could barely see him breath. "I didn't realize you were still in my bed, Sakura." He explained. "People act differently when they've been drinking."

"You weren't drunk." She pestered.

He sighed, clearly already annoyed with the direction of this conversation. "I...I sometimes get...confused when I awake."

"Doesn't everybody?" Sakura said snobbishly. Pushing his buttons. "But you are kinda old. It would make sense your bewildered brain wouldn't function so well in the wee hours of the morning...or at all."

"Some people don't sleep as well as others, Sakura. Has it ever occurred to you for once that not every man wants to get in your pants." He bit out over his shoulder, he hated having to make excuses for his actions.

"That thought certainly hasn't occurred to Sasuke. At least he wants me for something." Dear God, listen to her, was she trying to make him jealous? She hadn't seen Sasuke since that morning they had first met, he'd called her a few times, but Kakashi didn't need to know that...it was obvious enough to see there was tension between the two men. Sakura knew an opening when she saw it, and that she could easily take advantage of it. "You seemed fairly willing, too, at least for a while." She saw his body tense.

"I wasn't aware of certain things around me. Just drop it already."

"Bad memories haunting your dreams, are they?" She said in a cool, platonic tone. "The past only haunts the guilty...you got something to hide, Hatake?"

Kakashi looked back at her with dark eyes. Trying to gauge the meaning of that last remark. "What is it with you, anyways?" He continued on the path to his desk, seeking solace there. "You're far too interested in me, a man you don't even know. Why don't you just leave me be, Sakura? Isn't it obvious I don't want you here?" He spoke heavily, as if tired of her presence.

"Even if leaving means going to work for that man Sasuke told me about?" He didn't say anything. "Kakashi, please, don't push me away! Don't walk away from this." She quickly approached him. Gazing up at him with pleading eyes. She just wanted...she just wanted...

The truth.

No more games, no more lies. No more confusion or pain. She knew they could help each other, if only he'd open up.

"Walk away from what?" Kakashi reasoned. "There's nothing between us to leave."

"Stop talking like that! You know that isn't true." She said. "I'm almost there, I can feel it. You just have to help me understand."

"You're rambling, Sakura. I don't know what you're talking about." He ignored her. "But I think you should go."

"Just tell me, who are you?" She said on a soft breath. "Why are you here? What happened to Jiraiya?"

Kakashi was stunned. He hadn't thought she'd actually ask such a bold question to a man who was still considered a threat to her...had she learned something?

"What are you talking about?" His brows knit together, trying to comprehend the meaning behind her questions. Where was all this coming from? "Sakura, you're not making any sense." He said honestly.

"I..." A thick knot formed in her throat and she suddenly felt the urge to vomit, she felt a bit like a coward. She was pushing herself beyond the limits of stress as she tried to come to terms with what she should say. Where she should turn, which direction would this road lead her? "I know what you do."

He chuckled. "Oh, do you?" He bent down, invading her space. "And what do you think I '_do_?' It wouldn't happen to be owning and managing a modeling company would it?" He laughed a bit harder. "Or maybe you think I'm into something far more sinister..." His features changed suddenly, his eyes narrowed skeptically in on her. "Like, perhaps-"

"I spoke with Ayame." She blurted. Her speech was firm. Her face set in a harsh mix of determination and formidability. She needed strength now, a backbone. Hell would have her if she showed any weaknesses. "I saw your badge and I know about the drugs. I'm sick of these petty games, I need to know what the hell is going on in this place."

First silence. Nothing but still, eery silence.

Then..

Anger. Pure rage swept across his face. Sakura's legs questioned her weight, but her eyes remained vigilant and unwavering. And when he spoke, his voice was dark and threatening. Nothing like she had heard from him before. She instantly regretted even opening her mouth.

"You did what?" He grabber her by the arm on impulse. "Do you have any idea what you're saying...what you've done?" If she knew...he wouldn't be able to protect her any longer. Genma would soon find out, he'd try to use her like Kakashi had tried to use Akira. He wouldn't stand for that, not with Sakura. He only wanted her safe, if only she could understand that. But she was just too stubborn, too thick-headed.

"I didn't think...I just wanted the truth!" She cried back. "I don't want trouble, but if I have to resort to stretching the truth, or even invading some personal space, I'm not ashamed. I'll do whatever I have to-"

"Do you see this, Sakura?" She stumbled in her heels as he abruptly dragged her over to the large, clear floor-to-ceiling windows behind the desk. "Do you know what that is?" He asked as he pressed her body against the glass. Her breath fogging around her face as she looked over the endless, bustling city on the other side of the window, completely confused. "Do you?"

"I..." She struggled for words, taken aback by his somewhat violent reaction. "I don't..."

"It's the real world, princess. Take a good look at it." His fingers wrapped around her chin and forced her to stare at the city. "And in this world men do what they want," He said in a low breath near her ear. "They take what they want." A large hand took her by surprise, pulling off the tiny string of her spaghetti strap and yanking her shirt under her breast. She made noises of protest, frustrated with his strength. How had it come to this? Why couldn't there just be peace for her? "There isn't any room for a brat like you to keep getting in the way." She hissed as his body pushed against hers, flattening her nipple against the cool surface of the glass.

"Stop it!" She bucked against him, not willing to be the helpless prey he expected her to be as he grinded against her ass.

"What makes you think I want to?" His hand kept her chin firmly in place, preventing her from smacking his face with the back of her head. She was fighting more than what he thought she would...but he wanted that. He wanted her to hate him. "Ayame had on a long skirt like this," He licked her neck and she grimaced.

"I know. I talked to her the morning after you screwed her, remember? Are you always like that, Kakashi? Love 'em and leave 'em." She growled back, refusing to let him win. "I'm beginning to think you have a complex."

"Oh, I see." His hand snaked down between her legs, spreading them with his knee. She tried to squeeze them back together, but his body had her pressed nearly flat against the window. Leaving her limbs useless in battle. "You want me to fuck you the way I fucked her...is that why you went there?" His fingers began scrunching up the fabric of her white skirt. "Someone was jealous?"

"Fuck off!" She tried to bite the fingers around her chin, but it didn't work. Sakura was writhing desperately, hoping to break free. Gritting her teeth in aggravation.

He started tugging at her panties and brushing his hand over a place she did not want him to be. This wasn't the way he had touched her before. It didn't feel the same, it felt violent and angry. Her heart was racing, but for an entirely different purpose. She wanted to cut his balls off.

The struggling continued, but he wasn't being as aggressive as he could have been, his hand never truly crossed that boundary. And, from what she could tell, Kakashi didn't even have an erection. This wasn't something he was doing out of pleasure.

He didn't sound the same, and in the reflection of the window, there were conflicting emotions running down his face. And no matter how many opportunities became open to his violating hands, he took no such liberties. If he wanted to harm her, he would have and could have done so many times by now.

Sakura closed her eyes in pity.

Kakashi was still stuck in the game, Sakura was ready to move on. She wanted to understand, to find the truth. He wasn't willing to give up anything of relative importance, and instead reacted the only way he knew how...by frightening her. She had to let him know it wasn't going to work this time.

"You're not going to scare me away like this, Kakashi." She said as she attempted to maneuver her arms behind her back to push him away.

"Then what will?" He removed his hand from her crotch and rested it on her hip. A silence fell over her, and his voice was quiet, low. "Is it your brother? Will the truth frighten you away?"

Sakura sucked in her breath, staggering for words. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No..it...it won't." She suddenly prepared herself for the worst. Her body stilled, and her limbs felt limp. _Be brave._ Is this what she had waited for?

The pressure on her back eased and for a moment she thought he was gone, slowly turning herself around she found him standing with a gun in hand. His eyes locked with hers and the blood in her veins ceased to move.

With eyes as wide as saucers, she stuttered, "K-Kakashi?"

"I killed him." He said coldly. His movements were fluid and easy as he reached into his back pocket to pull out the clip, never looking away from her frightened green eyes. "Is that what you want to hear?" He smiled limply, hand raising to slide the ammo clip into the Glock.

Her lips quivered when she couldn't find the words she wanted to say.

Kakashi stepped forward and she took a step back into the glass. He was going to shoot her. That distant, blank stare in his eyes told her so...death was on his mind. She didn't want to die, that would have been the easy way out of this hell called _life_. Haruno Sakura never took the easy way out.

"And what are your reasons for being here, Sakura?" He grabbed her hand, and to her shock, slid the gun into the soft folds of her palm. His hand guided the barrel to the tender underside of his chin. "What makes you so unlike the rest? This is what you want."

"I...I don't understand." Her fingers trembled, making the gun shake uncontrollably. But it didn't phase him, he didn't even flinch.

"You want death, _my _death. Am I wrong?" She gasped as he leaned down to rest his forehead on hers. "You've so engrossed yourself in your own world, you can't even distinguish 'games' from reality. You think you're so righteous, perfect..._justified_." He laughed softly. "While people are subjecting themselves, killing, anguishing, dying like pigs in this little 'game' of twisted deception and deliberate hell we create around ourselves, the only thing you can focus on is yourself and your own grief. And that alone is the only reason why you are here." His fingers brushed her cheek, drying her tears. He could not blame her for all this, she was clueless to all the sick corruption surrounding her. Sakura knew it was there, but had been lied to from day one, she never had the truth. She didn't know any better, poor thing had been through so much pain, even before this tragedy had befallen her. Looking down in her tearful eyes, strong eyes, all he wanted to do was protect that. He didn't want to see anymore suffering looking back at him. She deserved so much better.

The girl had come all this way, sometimes even he was awed by all that effort.

He sighed and reached down to lift her chin when she tried to turn away from the depth of his eyes. "Come on, princess." He whispered gently, coaxingly. "Pull the trigger. If that's what you truly want, just squeeze your finger." If this is all that she desired, he'd give it to her. If that meant she'd go home, leave and be safe from this crime. He would do anything to finally accomplish something right in his life, for redemption..for _her_.

"I...I-I ca-"

"Do you want to hear me say it again? That I killed him." A terrible image flashed through her mind. One of a young boy running through a white hallway filled with sunshine and laughter...but such a pleasant dream was broken by that horrid corpse lying on a steel table. Blue and lifeless and waterlogged. _Wait...I don't want you to go..._ "To admit that I'm the murdering, womanizing criminal that you thought..." He paused for a short, quaky breath. If only she knew his already shattered heart was now crumbling in his chest. "...the fucking _dog_, that you know I am?"

"But.." _I have to take care of you now, Sakura..._

"Do it, damn it!" It wasn't Kakashi's dark eyes she was staring into. Instead she saw bright green ones, not unlike her own. She wanted to do it, but she couldn't. Not with those eyes looking back at her. She hated him! She wanted to kill him, make him pay for all that he had done to her!_ I hate him, Akira...why did it have to be him?! _

_Goodbye, I'll be back in a month...everything will be just fine..._

_It doesn't feel safe, who is this man?_ _Please, just tell me his name..._

_Hatake..._

_Akira, I love you._

"I can't!" The gun dropped from her hand to the floor, she nearly fainted in that instance. Kakashi's voice, his words, must have made her loose her sanity.

"Then why do you think you should be set apart from all the rest? What makes you so unselfish, what gives you the right to be here when you can't put an end to this game?"

"I just want what's _right_." A few more tears ran down her cheeks, making her vision blurry. And never, even from the beginning of this mess, had she ever wanted this nightmare to go away more that she did now.

"Then run."

"Wha-"

The soft brush of his lips against hers silenced her. "Please, Sakura. If ever there was a time in your life to do...please just leave." Was he begging?

"Leave?" His fingers trailed off from her jaw to her neck, pulling her closer. "Kakashi?" She found herself helplessly trapped, what was wrong with her? His lips were coming down again, as if he was going to...

"I promised Aki–"

"Excuse me!" A deep, oddly feminine voice interrupted. "Yoohoo!" A few knocks on the wooden doorframe. They had left the door open.

Her eyes snapped back up to his upon hearing the intrusion. He, too, seemed to be caught off guard, staring longingly at her pink quivering lips and then her glistening green eyes. As if trying to ignore the distraction.

Sakura could barely snap herself from this daze. But another 'ahem' from the person in the doorway made her blink rapidly until she looked over Kakashi's broad shoulder at the tall, burlesque blonde behind them.

"Sorry to intrude on your little affair–"

Before the stranger could finish, a mortified Sakura shoved away from Kakashi and bumped into the woman on the way out of the office without a word.

"Heh, sorry 'bout that." There was a smile in that odd voice as he heard the stranger invite herself in and approach closer to his desk.

_Sakura..._

Kakashi slowly slid his hand off the glass panel of window he had been leaning on over her, and stared out into the near blinding sunlight. God, what had gotten into him?

"Mr. Hatake, I presume?"

"Yeah," He sighed as he turned and bent momentarily to retrieve the discarded gun sitting on the floor.

"I'm Oturan Maki!" She said cheerily, a heavy Osaka accent prominent and very annoying.

"How can I help you Ms. Maki?" He unloaded the clip and returned the empty firearm back to its home in the bottom drawer of his desk. Looking up, he studied the woman in front of him who hadn't even batted an lash at the fact she had just interrupted a domestic dispute involving a loaded gun.

Her smile was wide and toothy, her face broad and her shoulders broader. Blonde pigtails poked out from each side of her head, and freckles dotted her tan complexion. What the hell would this girl want with a _modeling _agency?

"Sorry for not previously making an appointment, I'm sure you're a busy man." She reached out chordally to shake his hand and Kakashi obliged, noticing her hands were nearly as big as his. He quirked a brow at her oddities. "When I tell you the reason for my visit, you will understand why it is important for me to remain as discreet as possible." His silence offered her to continue on. "First, however, I urge you to tell me what you know of a certain Mr. Orochimaru's business?"

Kakashi frowned, "Sure, as soon as you tell me the reason for this impromptu meeting and what Orochimaru's company has to do with it."

The woman placed an arced hand over her mouth, blushed, then giggled. "You misunderstand." Then plopped her rump down on the edge of his desk. "I model for him!" She smiled. Kakashi tried to stifle any reaction he might of had to that statement. _Model_? Has this chick looked in the mirror lately? "I've done many special catalogues, for plus size women."

Ok, that was a little more clearer. He looked her over again, she wasn't so much plus size as she was just...bulky. Her build was more muscular and masculine. The only feature remotely feminine was her deep blue eyes.

"Mr. _Jiraiya_ referred me to them, I'm sure you're familiar with him, no?" There was a mischevious sort of look in her eye and tone of voice.

Ah...now it made sense. Kakashi sighed inwardly, an image of Jiraiya with a big cocky grin on his face coming to mind. _This _was the inside 'man' he was telling them about?

Smooth, Jiraiya...real smooth.

"Yes, before his disappearance, that is." He played along, wanting very badly to rub his pained temple.

"Wonderful!" She said gleefully. "Well, back to matter at hand, I just ADORE the work you've done and admire your strong influence in the model world. Not to mention you have the most gorgeous models available." She twirled her finger around a lock of hair that, now that he looked closer, appeared to be extensions. "I got so enthusiastic about an idea that I suggested to Orochimaru that it would be a spectacular opportunity for a temporary coalition. The thought of two of the biggest industries in pop culture breaking out of the box and trying something like, oh, hosting a night of fashion, camera's, promoting and mingling would create the biggest buzz about runways to date."

Kakashi sat further back in his chair and listened carefully. He didn't know about the 'biggest buzz to date' part. But it would certainly open up many new windows. Perhaps Jiraiya did know what he was doing when he sent this he-she into the snake pit.

"He agreed and liked the proposition so much he sent me to relay his desire to offer such a treaty."

"I see," Kakashi said, intrigued. "And what would such a treaty curtail?" He asked, needing more info.

"Well, that is something you'll have to discuss with his advisers. I am merely a messenger." Oturan tilted her head slightly and slung her pigtail over her shoulder.

"Who are these advisers, and when are we to meet?" He asked.

Oturan blinked. "Well, you sure decided quickly. Your eagerness is admirable!" She had been expecting him to take time to consider the possibilities. "I can easily have them arrange a consultation tonight. You would be meeting with Karin, Suigetsu and Jugo."

He nodded, affirming that the concept of a business meeting tonight was in his best interest schedule-wise.

"Karin is more a secretary than a board adviser. But she handles all things concerning inter-company mingling...and Jugo, well Jugo is–"

"Whoever they are, as long as they are competent individuals and know how to represent a business properly, there will be no problems."

"Then we have and agreement!" She clapped her hands once cheerfully. "How exciting!"

Before the blonde had written a number on a slip of paper, Kakashi was already going over the aesthetics of the situation. It seemed like the perfect chance, a pretty wrapping on the outside and pleasing to the eye. But what was inside the box? Was Oturan really that good of an undercover agent?

"I will have Karin call with further details once I relay the good news."

Kakashi shook her hand once again as he took the paper and thanked her for all her help.

"It was my pleasure." She stood and began walking out of the office in a not-so-feminine stroll. "Be careful tonight, darl'n," She winked and added over her shoulder, "Farewell!"

Kakashi frowned. Be careful? That sounded ominous.

Sitting back down, he picked up the phone and called Genma to expound this new development upon him.

"Sounds suspicious, Kakashi." Genma thought.

"Yeah," Was all he replied with. He heard Genma sigh at Kakashi's lack of enthusiasm or concern.

"Just stay on your guard, keep your phone on and be as subtle as possible. I'm going to call Asuma and give him a heads up, I have a feeling we might be needing him tonight."

"No, Gai is back and perfectly capable of taking over anything that might come up. I want Asuma on Sakura's back. With everything that's going down, I'm apprehensive about leaving her alone."

"You're misplacing your priorities, Kakashi. Are you forgetting that's Ino's job?" Genma growled. "And since when did we decide you're the one raking out all the orders?"

"Two is better than one, just playing it safe." Before Genma could say another word, he quickly added. "I've got to get back to work, I'll follow up later with the developments."

"Wait, Hatake–"

_Click._

He picked the phone back up and punched in Asuma's number and asked him to fulfill a request: to take Sakura on a date tonight.

Asuma had been perplexed, but when Kakashi further explained his meeting with the strange woman, Oturan, and shady sounding business deals, Asuma seemed to understand and agreed to try and accost the girl that night.

Later that evening Kakashi received another phone call. A raspy-voiced female was on the other end of the line, introducing herself as Karin and gave him the address of a house somewhere in the suburbs. She sounded cold and precise as she disclosed the time, as well.

When he asked if it was strange that this important discussion was to be had in a house and not a convention room, or even restaurant in town, she had responded lightly.

"We try to remain casual and comfortable in our affairs until an official document is confirmed on the table."

Whatever they were playing, Kakashi had little choice but to waltz right into it.

A few hours later Kakashi switched the lights off in his office, glancing at his watch as he walked out of the building into the streets and the setting sun.

_Sigh_...he was going to be late...

...

Thank you for reading, and sorry about the long delay.


End file.
